A fire on an aircraft carrier under construction in Rosyth, Fife, was tackled on Tuesday by around 45 firefighters and seven appliances.
Following the call at 14.33, firefighters in attendance reported that a great deal of smoke was hindering the search for the exact location of the fire. After eventually locating the compartment that contained the fire it was swiftly put out with no significant damage caused to the ship.
Initial reports stated that a piece of welding equipment was the cause but it turned out to be a spark in an extractor fan – explaining why there was so much smoke.
The flagship construction project in Scotland of two aircraft carriers – HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Queen Elizabeth – is a key project in the Scottish economy, worth over £5 billion. The fire occurred on the Queen Elizabeth.
No one was injured in the incident according to Fife Fire & Rescue Service, and contractor Babcock stated that work on the vessel was able to resume almost immediately.
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