BAE Systems workers evacuated after smoke spotted inside Barrow shipyard building
Workers at BAE Systems in Barrow were temporarily evacuated after smoke was seen coming from equipment inside the Devonshire Dock Hall.
The incident happened at around 8pm on Tuesday, June 23, and led to the company’s standard evacuation procedures being activated.
Emergency services were called to the shipyard, with fire crews attending from Barrow, Walney, Ulverston, Millom and Bootle.
BAE Systems said only a small amount of smoke was released and no direct firefighting action was needed.
After the situation had been assessed and declared safe, staff were allowed to return to work.
No injuries were reported.
Smoke came from piece of equipment
A BAE Systems spokesperson said the incident involved a piece of equipment being used inside the Devonshire Dock Hall.
At around 8pm, the equipment emitted a small amount of smoke.
This triggered the site’s emergency procedures, including an evacuation and a response from Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service.
The company said: “No direct firefighting action was undertaken and, following assessment of the situation on site, all personnel returned to work.”
No further details have been released about the equipment involved or what caused it to produce smoke.
There has also been no suggestion that the incident caused significant damage inside the building.
Fire crews sent from across South and West Cumbria
Fire engines were sent from five stations as a precaution.
Crews attended from Barrow, Walney, Ulverston, Millom and Bootle.
Bootle Fire Station said its crew arrived at the site before being stood down and sent to Barrow Fire Station, where firefighters remained on standby for around 30 minutes.
Four Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service pumps remained at BAE Systems to provide support if needed.
The Bootle crew returned to its station at around 10.30pm.
The wider response reflected the size and importance of the shipyard site, where emergency procedures are designed to deal quickly with any possible fire or safety risk.
Staff returned to work after checks
The evacuation remained in place while the source of the smoke was checked.
Once emergency teams had assessed the situation, workers were allowed back inside and normal operations resumed.
BAE Systems has not said how many employees were evacuated or how long work was interrupted.
The company has also not confirmed whether the affected equipment was removed from service or required repairs.
The incident appears to have been dealt with as a precaution, with no active fire requiring crews to use hoses or other firefighting equipment.
Devonshire Dock Hall is major part of shipyard
The Devonshire Dock Hall is one of the most recognisable buildings at the Barrow shipyard and plays a central role in submarine construction.
Because of the industrial activity taking place within the site, smoke, alarms or possible equipment faults can lead to a large emergency response while the risk is assessed.
In this case, the evacuation ended safely and employees were able to return to their duties after checks had been completed.
No road closures or wider disruption outside the BAE Systems site were reported.
