USS Gerald R. Ford carrier fire reveals extensive damage

CNN’s investigative report, supported by new video footage, shows that a fire broke out aboard the U.S. Navy’s newest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford, while it was operating in the Red Sea. The ship’s automatic fire‑suppression system failed, forcing hundreds of sailors to fight the blaze manually for dozens of hours. Video shows berthing compartments reduced to twisted metal and ash, with many crew beds destroyed, leaving roughly 600 sailors without access to their quarters.

U.S. officials acknowledge that the fire was larger than the Navy’s initial brief, which described it as “contained” with only minor injuries. The carrier, costing about $13 billion and housing over 4,500 personnel and up to 90 aircraft, may require a year‑long repair period in a shipyard. The damage temporarily removed the carrier from full operational readiness, prompting a stop in Greece for interim repairs before it could resume flight operations.

The incident occurs amid heightened U.S. naval activity in the Middle East and the Pacific, creating a potential gap in American power projection at a time of regional tension.