Navy

Ship fire unrelated to combat injures pair of USS Gerald R. Ford sailors

By Alison Bath
Stars and Stripes • March 12, 2026


Two sailors aboard the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford are in stable condition after being injured in a noncombat-related fire Thursday in the ship’s main laundry spaces, according to the Navy. (U.S. Navy)

Two sailors aboard the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford are in stable condition after being injured in a fire Thursday in the ship’s main laundry spaces, according to the Navy.

The unidentified service members are receiving medical treatment for their injuries, which are not life-threatening, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. 5th Fleet said in statement Thursday.

The fire was not related to combat, according to the statement. Ford is operating in the Red Sea in support of Operation Epic Fury, the ongoing joint American and Israeli military campaign against Iran.

There was no damage to the carrier’s propulsion plant and the ship remains fully operational, according to the statement, which said the fire was fully contained. ... The carrier has been in the Red Sea since transiting the Suez Canal March 5.