Fire breaks out on French carrier Charles de Gaulle during maintenance
A fire started in a technical compartment of the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle while it was undergoing technical stop at Toulon. No injuries were reported and the ship’s nuclear installations were not affected.
Incident cause and reporting
The fire was reported by the maritime prefecture of the Mediterranean and is believed to have been caused by torch‑cutting work in a technical room of less than 10 square metres near the aviation hangar.
Timeline of the fire
The fire alarm sounded just before 11:30 a.m. The blaze was controlled at 12:35 p.m. and declared extinguished at 13:50 p.m.
Location and response
Charles de Gaulle was docked at the Milhaud 6 quay of Toulon naval base for technical maintenance scheduled from late August to early December 2026. Shipboard sailors initially responded, later assisted by Toulon naval base firemen, with investigations reinforced by the Marseille firemen battalion.
Future plans
The carrier will remain in technical stop at Toulon until early December and is slated to be replaced in 2038 by a new aircraft carrier named La France Libre.