Blaze Engulfs Indian Navy Stealth Ship at Mumbai Dockyard

Firefighters tried to put out the flames for three hours, and it is now feared the blaze caused crippling damage to the stealth destroyer.

New Delhi (Sputnik): An employee of the state-owned Mazgaon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) company was trapped in a massive fire that broke out on an under-construction guided-missile destroyer at its Mumbai facility on Friday evening.

It is reported that the second and third decks of the Vishakhapatnam-class destroyer were damaged in the fire.

An official said in the evening that the fire-fighting effort lasted over three hours.

It is feared that extensive damage has been inflicted to the under construction warship, which was launched in 2015.

With a displacement of 7,300 tonnes, the destroyer will span 163 metres in length and 17.4 meters at the beam, and will be propelled by four gas turbines to achieve speeds in excess of 30 knots. The P15B destroyers incorporate new design concepts for improved survivability, sea keeping, stealth and manoeuvrability.

The Indian Navy destroyer was being constructed under Project 15B.