NORFOLK, Va. — A fire on the USS Gerald Ford started in the laundry room on March 12 has put over 600 sailors out of a bed during its 10th month of deployment, according to the New York Times.
A fire started in a dryer vent in the Ford's laundry facilities on March 12 and spread quickly, lasting for more than 30 hours before sailors managed to put it out, according to the New York Times.
More than 600 sailors and crew members have lost their beds and are sleeping on floors and tables. Two sailors were also treated for non-life-threatening injuries, according to U.S. Central Command. Dozens of other service members also suffered from smoke inhalation, the New York Times reported.
Central Command said in a statement to the New York Times that the fire caused "no damage to the ship's propulsion plant, and the aircraft carrier remains fully operational."
The Ford, entering its 10th month of a deployment expected to last until May, has been traveling through the Suez Canal in support of the U.S. military operation involving Iran — the latest destination for the ship since its deployment began last June.
Sen. Mark Warner spoke on the consequences of a long deployment in a statement, and called upon President Trump to prioritize the safety, readiness and dignity of the sailors.
“I am grateful that all sailors aboard the U.S.S. Gerald R. Ford are reported safe, and that their hard work and training allowed them to control this fire,” Warner said in a statement. “But 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.”
Sen. Tim Kaine said in a previous interview with News 3 that a normal deployment would be around seven months.
"You run it for 8, 9, 10, 11 months there are a whole lot of maintenance issues that come up that make quality of life even worse," Kaine said.
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