Illustrative image. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Maxwell Orlosky)
A fire that broke out aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford in the Middle East earlier this year appears to have been much worse than the Pentagon reported, according to footage of the damage released by CNN on June 4.
The Ford was operating in the Middle East as part of the ongoing American-Israeli war with Iran when the fire was reported in March.
U.S. Military officials told The New York Times at the time that it took more than 30 hours to extinguish the blaze and the damage left more than 600 service members without beds. Dozens of service members were reported to have suffered smoke inhalation, in addition to two who were treated for “non-life threatening injuries.”
The crew members who lost their beds were reported to be bunking on floors and tables, and after the fire originated in the main laundry area, sailors had no access to wash their clothes.
The United States Central Command said in a statement that the fire caused “no damage to the ship’s propulsion plant, and the aircraft carrier remains fully operational,” but crew members reported that the plumbing system of 650 toilets on board frequently breaks down.
Despite the damage caused by the fire, the carrier continued its flight operations around the clock, U.S. Navy officials said in March.
The latest footage revealed that the fire was more severe and damaging, and according to sources quoted by CNN, the carrier’s fire-suppression system failed to work.
The Ford departed the Middle East in early May after a record-breaking ten-month deployment. It is currently at its home port of Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia.
The fire has without a doubt affected U.S. military plans against Iran. While there has been rumors that the blaze was the result of some attack by the Islamic Republic, the aircraft carrier never really came within range of Iranian fire, as it operated only in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea.
There were of course other rumors of some sailors starting the fire to protest the lengthy deployment, but there is also no real indication of this.
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😂😂😂😂😂
that wasn’t any ‘laundry fire’ — that was a direct hit from a iranian missle.