NAVAL SUPPORT ACTIVITY SOUDA BAY, CRETE — A fire broke out in the laundry facility on the USS Gerald R. Ford on March 2 while the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier was anchored at Naval Support Activity Souda Bay, Crete. The fire took hours to extinguish.

More than 200 crew members were assessed for smoke inhalation and later returned to duty after the fire. One sailor was medically evacuated and is in a stable condition, while two other sailors were treated for minor injuries.

Smoke damage spread to sleeping quarters, leaving more than 100 beds unusable. Replacement cots have been arranged for the USS Gerald R. Ford, and additional mattresses and clothing were sent to the ship after its laundry facilities were wiped out.

The USS Gerald R. Ford remained operational after the fire. The U.S. Navy is investigating the cause of the fire on the USS Gerald R. Ford.

The USS Gerald R. Ford had been deployed for nearly nine months as of its departure. The vessel was first deployed to the Caribbean amid heightened tensions with Venezuela and was sent to the Middle East in February. The carrier's fighter jets have taken part in multiple strikes in the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran.

The USS Gerald R. Ford suffered a malfunction in its toilet system in January. The vessel's toilet system malfunction led to clogged toilets and long lines for restrooms.

If it remains at sea beyond mid-April, the USS Gerald R. Ford would exceed the post-Vietnam War record for a U.S. aircraft carrier deployment set in 2020 by the USS Abraham Lincoln. "The Ford and its crew have been pushed to the brink after nearly a year at sea, and they have been paying the price for President Donald Trump's reckless military decisions," said Senator Mark Warner, Vice Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee.

The USS Gerald R. Ford is expected to be relieved by the USS George H.W. Bush.