NH's Frank Guinta visits fire-damaged sub

KITTERY, Maine (AP) -- New Hampshire Congressman Frank Guinta says the extent of the damage to a dry-docked submarine that caught fire at a Maine shipyard two weeks ago is significant.

Guinta visited the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine, on Tuesday.

He took a look at the damage aboard the USS Miami and received updates on the fire and repair efforts, estimated at $400 million. Many workers at the shipyard are from nearby New Hampshire.

The Navy said the fire started when an industrial vacuum cleaner sucked up a heat source of some type that ignited debris inside the vacuum. The vacuum had no apparent defect and was not plugged in when the fire started on May 23.

The Miami arrived at the shipyard in Kittery, Maine, in March for a 20-month overhaul.