NYT: USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier battles 30-hour inferno at sea

A fire in the laundry area aboard the US aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford last week burned for over 30 hours, resulting in dozens of crew members suffering smoke inhalation, The New York Times reports, citing unnamed sailors and military personnel.

The US Navy confirmed the blaze on the nation’s largest warship last week, stating the fire was contained, unrelated to combat operations, and caused injuries to two sailors that were not life-threatening. The incident did not affect operational readiness aboard the 100,000-ton carrier, which was in the Red Sea amid the conflict with Iran.

Conditions for the roughly 4,500 crew and air wing personnel aboard the $13 billion vessel remain challenging. About 600 sailors lost access to their bunks due to the fire, forcing them to sleep on tables or floors, and many are unable to launder their clothing.

During the current 10-month deployment of the Ford, the ship has also experienced ongoing issues with onboard toilets. In recent years, the Navy received dozens of maintenance requests related to plumbing problems, with at least a dozen reported during this deployment alone.

Since departing its home port in Norfolk, Virginia, in June last year, the Ford has crossed the Atlantic, operated in the Mediterranean, returned to the Caribbean to support operations in Venezuela, and is now heading back to the Middle East.

If the deployment continues through mid-April, it will mark the longest continuous deployment of a US aircraft carrier in a combat zone since the Vietnam War.

By Jeyhun Aghazada