- A fire broke out on 5 October aboard the nuclear powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle at Toulon naval base
- The blaze started in a small technical room after cutting work with a torch
- The fire was brought under control within about an hour
- Officials confirmed there were no injuries and no impact on the nuclear installations
- The vessel remains in dock until early December
A fire has broken out on 5 October aboard the nuclear powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle while it was undergoing technical work at the naval base in Toulon. The blaze started in a small technical room after cutting work with a torch and was brought under control within about an hour. Officials confirmed there were no injuries and no impact on the nuclear installations. The vessel remains in dock until early December.
The French Navy confirmed that a fire broke out on Monday, 5 October 2026, aboard the flagship nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle while it was docked at the Toulon Naval Base. Initial findings indicate the blaze was accidental and likely triggered by autogenous cutting work with a gas blowtorch. A hot point from the metal-cutting ignited insulating material inside a small technical compartment. The fire was contained to a small technical room measuring less than 10 square metres located near the aircraft hangar. No aircraft were inside the hangar at the time. The French Navy explicitly stated that no injuries were reported and there was no damage or impact to the vessel’s nuclear installations.
The ship’s crew raised the alarm shortly before 11:30 local time and immediately began fighting the flames. They were quickly joined by specialised naval firefighters from the base, bringing the fire completely under control by 12:35. The Charles de Gaulle has been docked in Toulon for a scheduled technical stop and maintenance since late August 2026 and is still expected to remain there until early December 2026. An official investigation is underway to determine the precise circumstances.
