Fire aboard Navy destroyer USS Higgins, officials say

Washington — A major fire broke out earlier this week on the USS Higgins, a guided-missile destroyer and a mainstay of the Navy's forward presence in Asia, according to U.S. officials. The fire knocked out electricity and propulsion on the destroyer, one of the officials told CBS News, speaking under condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak publicly. No injuries to U.S. service members had been reported as of Wednesday. Details of how the fire started and the exact location of the Higgins in the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) were not readily available. Details regarding what sections of the ship were damaged and how long it will take to repair were also not available. The Higgins was ported in Singapore as of February, according to AIS Marine vessel data. Pentagon spokespeople referred questions about damage to INDOPACOM. The destroyer's public affairs didn't immediately comment. Earlier this month, a small fire broke out on the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, injuring eight U.S. Navy sailors, according to the Navy Times. Separately, a fire broke out in the laundry spaces aboard the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford , injuring two sailors. The Ford and its accompanying strike group are expected to leave the Middle East in the coming days, a U.S. official confirmed to CBS News on Wednesday. The Ford was one of three carriers operating in the region. …