SAN DIEGO -- The final report filed by Navy investigators about a fire aboard the aircraft carrier George Washington finds that at least two dozen crew members were responsible for an "entirely preventable" incident, it was reported Tuesday.

The May 22 fire caused about $70 million in damage and injured 37 sailors, most of whom suffered heat exhaustion.

The lead investigator, Rear Adm. Frank Drennan, commander of the San Diego-based Naval Mine and Antisubmarine Warfare Command, told The San Diego Union-Tribune that the fire was fueled by refrigerant-compressor oil.

About a month before the fire, the ship's chief engineer reportedly found barrels of the oil in an out-of-the-way compartment near a broiler, according to the newspaper. Some of the oil was later transferred to the ship's hazardous materials section but some remained. It was the part that remained that caused the fire when it was ignited by unauthorized cigarette smoking, the Union-Tribune reported.

The final report filed by Navy investigators also found that it took the carrier's damage-control team nearly eight hours to discover the source of the smoke and flames, according to the newspaper.

The carrier's commander and executive officer were relieved of duty July 30 and reassigned to other jobs.

Disciplinary action was recommended against 11 officers and 12 enlisted sailors but the Navy ultimately punished only six enlisted crew members.

The blaze occurred while the carrier was off the western coast of South America. The carrier was re-routed to San Diego following the blaze to undergo two months of repairs.

This summer, it left San Diego for Japan.