The initial fire has been extinguished, but the crew is still doing damage control, according to a U.S. official. Naval Sea Systems Command’s Forward Deployed Regional Maintenance Center is preparing to help the fleet with electrical support, USNI News understands.
“On March 12, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) experienced a fire that originated in the ship’s main laundry spaces,” reads a U.S. Central Command statement posted to social media website X. “The cause of the fire was not combat-related and is contained. There is no damage to the ship’s propulsion plant, and the aircraft carrier remains fully operational. Two sailors are currently receiving medical treatment for non-life-threatening injuries and are in stable condition. Additional information will be provided when available.”
As of Wednesday, Ford was operating in the northern part of the Red Sea, off the coast of Al Wajh, Saudi Arabia, according to a ship spotter. Ford and three of its escorts – USS Mahan (DDG-72), USS Bainbridge (DDG-96) and USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG-81) – transited the Suez Canal last week.
