Fire Breaks Out Aboard French Nuclear Aircraft Carrier Charles de Gaulle

A fire broke out aboard the French nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle on October 5 while it was undergoing maintenance at the naval base in Toulon.

Le Figaro reported this, citing the Maritime Prefecture of the Mediterranean.

A fire alarm was triggered in a technical room measuring no more than 10 square meters near the aircraft hangar. No aircraft were inside at the time, as the carrier was undergoing maintenance.

The fire was likely caused by metal-cutting work using a gas burner.

Crew members were the first to respond, later joined by naval firefighters from the Toulon base.

There were no casualties, and no impact on the ship’s nuclear installations was reported. After extinguishing the fire, emergency responders continued to inspect the scene. Specialists from the Marseille Naval Fire Battalion joined them.

Charles de Gaulle has been undergoing maintenance since late August. The work is expected to be completed in early December.

Only two countries in the world operate nuclear-powered aircraft carriers: the United States, with 11 such ships in its fleet, and France.

Until summer 2026, the French aircraft carrier was deployed in the eastern Mediterranean to deter the conflict from spreading in the Middle East.

It is France’s only nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. Around 2038, it is expected to be replaced by a new-generation aircraft carrier named France Libre. The new ship will also be powered by a nuclear propulsion system.

On March 12, 2026, a fire broke out aboard the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford while it was operating in the Red Sea. The fire started in the ship’s main laundry and was unrelated to combat operations.

In its initial report, the U.S. Navy said that two sailors were injured, but their lives were not in danger. The aircraft carrier’s propulsion system was not damaged.