USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier catches fire, leaving 600 sailors without beds

WASHINGTON, United States (MNTV) – A serious fire aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier in the Middle East has left more than 600 crew members without sleeping quarters, with the blaze taking over 30 hours to extinguish and causing smoke inhalation injuries among dozens of personnel.

The fire broke out last week in the ship’s main laundry area, according to the New York Times. Military officials confirmed dozens of personnel suffered smoke inhalation, with two treated for minor injuries. Affected crew members are now sleeping on floors and tables with no access to laundry facilities.

The warship, carrying approximately 4,500 sailors and pilots, was originally redirected from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean last October under orders from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as part of pressure tactics against Venezuela, before being sent to the Middle East for the ongoing U.S.-Israeli campaign against Iran.

The crew is approaching its tenth consecutive month at sea, with the deployment potentially extending into May.

If so, it would surpass the 294-day record set by the USS Abraham Lincoln in 2020, marking the longest carrier deployment since the Vietnam War.

US Central Command insists the fire caused “no damage to the ship’s propulsion plant” and that the carrier “remains fully operational.” However, crew members report frequent breakdowns in the vessel’s plumbing system, affecting 650 toilets.

Retired Rear Admiral John F. Kirby, former Pentagon press secretary, noted: “Ships get tired too, and they get beat up over the course of long deployments. You can’t run a ship that long and that hard and expect her and her crew to perform at peak capacity.”

Navy officials say the carrier continues conducting round-the-clock flight operations.