Two in hospital after fire at Barrow’s nuclear submarine shipyard

Two people were taken hospital after a “significant fire” broke out at the BAE Systems nuclear submarine shipyard in Barrow-in-Furness, police have said.

Emergency services were called to the site, where the UK’s nuclear submarines are built, at about 00:44 GMT on Wednesday.

Those taken to hospital were said to be suffering from suspected smoke inhalation. One person has since been released, BAE said.

Cumbria Police said there was “no nuclear risk”.

BAE said it was “working with emergency services to deal with a fire at our site in Barrow-in-Furness.”

Police said the Devonshire Dock Hall, the site’s main building facility, had been evacuated and everyone inside had been accounted for.

There are no longer any signs of fire but emergency services remain at the scene.

The doors of the affected building remain open and there is a metallic smell of smoke in the air.

Workers turning up for their shifts were confused as to which parts of the site were accessible and whether or not they should go in.

BAE has since told non-essential staff at Devonshire Dock Hall to not go to work on Wednesday morning and to work from home if possible.

All other staff have been told to attend as usual but to check the employee hotline if they need more details.

Police have now withdrawn advice for people living nearby to stay indoors

A road closure is also in place at the nearby Michaelson Bridge.

Images circulating on social media, and purportedly shot at the shipyard, showed large flames and thick smoke coming from a tall white building overnight.

Covering around six acres, the hall is the second-largest indoor shipbuilding complex of its kind in Europe, according to BAE Systems.

The craft to have been built in the hall include the four Vanguard Class submarines that make up the UK’s Trident nuclear programme.

Four new nuclear submarines from the Dreadnought Class are currently being built at the site and are due to replace the Vanguard submarines in the early 2030s.

And the last of the Royal Navy’s seven new nuclear-powered submarines, part of the Astute Class, is also being built at the site.

BAE Systems has been contacted for comment.

Contacted for additional comment, the Ministry of Defence referred the BBC to BAE Systems while the incident was ongoing.