The fire at the BAE Systems Devonshire Dock Hall at its Barrow-in-Furness site, a key defence industrial facility that manufactures nuclear-powered submarines for the UK Royal Navy’s, is being treated as an “isolated” incident.
The fire, which was reported at 00:44am on 30 October 2024, saw people in the local community advised to stay indoors, and motorists passing close to the site told to keep windows shut, air vents closed and to “turn off fans”, according to Cumbria Police.
Cumbria Police stated at 8:15am on 30 October that “there was no nuclear risk”, with Cumbria Fire and Rescue “likely to have appliances on site” for much of the day.
In a social media post in the early hours of 30 October Cumbria police described the fire as “significant”, with local people advised to stay indoors. This has since been amended to ask residents to keep doors and windows closed.
However, the incident is understood to be being treated as isolated, as it did not spread across the whole of the BAE Systems facility.
Speaking to Naval Technology a BAE Systems spokesperson said the company was working with emergency services to deal with the fire at its Barrow site.
“The area around the Devonshire Dock Hall has been evacuated and everyone has been accounted for,” the spokesperson stated. “Two colleagues were taken to hospital having suffered suspected smoke inhalation and have both since been released.
“We will provide further updates in due course.”
Fire impact on UK submarine programmes to be determined
The BAE Systems site is the sole UK manufacturing facility for nuclear-powered submarines in the UK and is currently nearing the end of the Astute programme to deliver seven new SSNs to the Royal Navy. In addition, the site is also building the first of four future Dreadnought-class SSBNs, which will house the UK’s strategic nuclear deterrent.
It is unknown what impact, if any, the fire will have on the build of Astute Boat 7 (HMS Agincourt) and Dreadnought Boat 1 (HMS Dreadnought. Astute Boat 6, HMS Agamemnon, was recently lowered into the water outside the Devonshire Dock Hall as it nears its entry into service.
