A fire in a technical compartment aboard France’s aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle was extinguished while the vessel was moored at Toulon for maintenance. No injuries were reported, and the Navy said nuclear installations were unaffected. Crews and naval firefighters responded to the blaze. Investigators were still examining how it began and the extent of other damage remained uncertain.
A fire broke out in a technical compartment aboard the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle on 5 October while the ship was moored for maintenance at Toulon naval base in southern France. The crew began fighting the flames before firefighters from the naval base joined the response. The blaze was contained and then extinguished, according to the French Navy’s account of the incident. The onboard fire alarm sounded in the morning.[1], [2]
The Navy said no one was injured and no impact was found on the vessel’s nuclear installations. The precise extent of damage elsewhere remained uncertain. No aircraft were aboard the carrier when the fire occurred. Charles de Gaulle was in a technical maintenance stop rather than at sea during the incident.[1], [2]
Investigators continued examining the incident, with support from Marseille naval firefighters. Investigators were considering a worker’s cutting torch or an electrical short circuit, but neither was established as a final finding. AvionsLegendaires reported that French naval and judicial authorities had ruled out malicious action at that stage. There was no confirmed announcement changing the carrier’s maintenance or availability schedule.[1]
