It has been confirmed that no permanent damage was caused to HMS Queen Elizabeth after a recent fire.
Earlier this year, we broke the news that a fire broke out onboard HMS Queen Elizabeth whilst the vessel was unloading ammunition at Glenmallan in Scotland.
The information came to light via a response to a Written Parliamentary Question.
Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) – Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport) asked:
“To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the (a) damage caused and (b) injuries sustained by staff working on the HMS Queen Elizabeth as a result of the fire on 8 March 2024.”
James Heappey, until very recently Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces), responded:
“I can confirm that no injuries were sustained by staff working on the HMS Queen Elizabeth as a result of the fire on 8 March 2024. There was also no permanent damage caused and the fire will have no impact on HMS Queen Elizabeth’s current programme. An investigation is underway to establish the cause of the fire and this will seek to identify any appropriate lessons that can be implemented in future instances of this nature.”
An aircraft carrier has always been a floating bomb from its first incarnation. Upwards of 50 aircraft and stored fuel and munitions, there is little room for sloppy management. Once hit by incoming fire a well-controlled damage reporting system is essential, however, I would assume the QE Class have a modern fire control system in place along with a watertight bulkhead door closure network. I would hope these carriers are protected against drone attack as this appears to be the weapon of choice these days and a ship is in constant danger, no matter where she is located.
Forces News showed the extent of the fire and all the water in the Messdeck where apparently the Air conditioning unit caught fire there was also Drinking alcohol thrown in too the story ,footnote I worked Vent party on the Invincible and never have I seen or heard of an ACU catching fire unless chilled water is flammable
Newer air con gases such as R1234yf and fridge gases such as butane and propane are combustible . Don’t think they would use 134a as dangerous to inhale if you have a leak !
We used freon for the chilled water system when I was Vent .Me thinks that a few drinkies and pranks happened and a Naked flame (lighter) it was also a Friday night
I’ve sorted out a few sambuca related incidents and injuries in my time….I remember one bloke who was brought in after he had decided to stick in flaming sambuca to his chest…basically ended up firebombing himself…nasty nasty.
Dance of the flaming Arseholes was one but that was more of an Army thing Johnathan
Bugis street in Singapore, was the best place to see it being done.
Couldn’t keep the Ki ties away
Well there have been plenty of fringe fires indeed it was a well published event 15 to twenty years ago with loss of life. Where there is electricity indeed there is always risk if fire.
Friday night and a few drinks leads too antics which sometimes goes off kilter and accidents happen excuses then blame anything but the cause
Messdeck fridges used to be from an English company named LEC of Bognor Regis they not only made fridges for the Armed forces but also for the UN they Folded in 2008 after Labour government refused too help it was then sold to Sin Darby Lord knows who service the forces now but those Beer boat Fridges did the job I should know when I left the RN I got a job there as quality control
Sim Darby bought the firm in 1994.
Sorry meant too put willeys,brought the new factory from Sim Darby the old factory is now Sainsburys and Wyckes along with a Pub named Charlie Purley after the founder of Lec and his son
David purley GM
My beer fridge in the kitchen is a LEC. It must be old then?
I doubt if it would make Antiques roadshow but if it still works cherish it about the only good thing to come out of Bognor
King George 5ths final words were ‘bugger bognor’!
And it’s still getting Buggered
If. It works, that’s all you need.
The ones I came across. We’re sturdy and they.had to be. They just made noise as they got older.
They went up market under sime Darby and fell flat on their face
Whatever the cause lessons will be learned, we hope. Onboard activity may have been a contributor to the fire, so I guess new restrictions will be imposed. I’m hoping the integrity of the whole ship was not compromised.
A lot of smoke damage to the messdeck and excess water,in the mess and passageway as shown on Forces dot Net ,
Rubbish article about nothing. Just silly accusations anda cheap shit at sailors
Utter rubbish the goings on in the messdeck is just click for the gutter press.
The Gutter press just love too put a minor fire as headline news too downgrade our forces its Kudos for those who just love too stick the Oar in when all it was ,was an everyday mishap
“Upwards of 50 aircraft”…. 😁
I’m talking about carriers in general and the US ships carry 50+ planes.😐
50? You can have the same effect with one or two aircraft stowed in a box, venting fuel&oil vapours,batteries. Lethality is very much the same. Patrolled monitoring is always required. The moment you relax….. ‘nough said. 👌🙃🕳️
In other words it is and always was a non story.
It certainly didn’t help that the original story had a heading referring to no one being killed which immediately ups the anti on seriousness.
Yes: a load of media BS.
As usual
👍
That can’t be a QE class carrier in the picture. There’s too many jets on it! 🎣
Get onto Wren for a new kitchen….big sale on
Maybe they should just use Wrens in the kitchen…..
Standby incoming with that post mate! 😉
👍
Oooooo 🤭
The media AI monitoring at GCHQ has red flagged your comment as a tier one hate crime!
As we speak, your local constabulary are converging on your home with two cars and a van, armed response on board with blues and twos blaring away!
Racing past stabbings and mugging towards you with a steely determination…..
You’ve tripped the Woke wonk alarm now grizzler and a re-education camp awaits you….
Not again…when will I ever learn? 🙂
Yeah just had them round as well the Scottish first minister was driving the van
Ah well, you and Grizzler can start a tunnel to escape the reeducation camp!
Come to think of it, that ice-cream van with blackened out windows has been parked outside my house all morning……
That’s the one quick wipe your hardrive
😂😂🤣🤣, looks three of us working on a tunnel!
We could say that we are reanacting Steve mcqueens made up Great escape
Apparently the fridge in the ice cream truck caught fire and the vehicle was seen limping back to the depot for maintenance. Nobody was hurt.
Evidently not a LEC fridge they just hiss and leak when fatally wounded
It was the frid in the SNP camper van, not 3 carrier.
😂😂🤣
Enjoy it too.
Oh WRNS did you mean sad too say that moniker went when we became a progressive no barriers fighting force
I’ll get my coat
Looking like one weeks solitary confinement in the camp punishment block for you.
That just leaves me and Grizzler with our stolen spoons ( from compulsory Vegan, Soya ice-cream night) to carry on with the tunnel….
I claim artistic license in the interests of humour (not sure if we are still allowed that however)
Not if you live in Scotland starting on April 1st and that’s not a Joke
It’s a Lie… There is no Sale just BS like all the other companies. Funny thing is that so many people fall for it that’s why they do it…. Sheeples !
Spotted, Ms Marple 😁 🙃🕳️
As long as it’s not Kate Addy. If she turns up you know you’re somewhere dodgy!
Head for the hills when Kates around she doesn’t go to war zones she starts them for the backdrop of any interview given
Are u sure……i saw a Xmas/Easter/Summer/Autumn advert
It’s permanent, they all do it… Wicks, B&Q, Magnets, Wren… all of the big places… People fall for it , believe it, don’t actually have a clue they are being conned.
Dont diss the “Great Wrenevation” Alison Hammond needs the work.
Yeah I wait for that Great British tradition of Black Friday after I’ve finished my Thanksgiving dinner
😂😂🤣🤣😂
😁👍
Should have posted that next Monday
😁
fire whilst offloading ammunition must have given those onboard a bit of a moment when the tannoy call was made
Very glad nobody was hurt & DC quickly bought it under control. Fires on board ships can quickly spread as the steel reflects, conducts & radiates heat rapidly. That’s a lovely pic George, good to put “carriers with no aircraft” Klingons straight. Normal peacetime F35 complement is 24 F35s & we’re still working up towards that. Would I like more F35s sooner? Yes of course, but we are where we are with HMG having held the Navy, RAF & Army well back from being ready to fight any conflict. Maybe we could bring back Bucaneers & Harriers! Just my fantasy… Read more »
No comment of F35 numbers, 7 years in !!! What’s the score with the Web Cam Mate… any Ideas ?
Hi Frank. Yes I contacted the museum to ask & Monday they replied that they had IT & riggers retrieving the camera, but hit a snag getting to it. It should be fixed some time next month.
We should never have binned the Harriers, they would’ve paid for their keep shortly after being cut by being available for Libya ops. Then would’ve been able to give excellent deck handling etc training for the QEs until sufficient F35s become available.
We will never deter aggression by idiotic weakness from cuts upon cuts.
Cheers for that and I agree.
Harrier FA2’s are still in operation at the RN School of Flight deck operations at RNAS Culdrose. They are used for live (engines running) taxiing and simulated launch and recover procedures and emergency crash on deck procedures. Old Merlins are also used, and Seakings and F35 mock ups for ground handling practice. It’s an excellent set up, and very realistic for a land based setup pretending to be at sea on a carrier. The flight deck layout and markings are exactly the same as the real thing.
Indeed mate. 👍
Don’t knock em Robert they may come in handy with what’s going on
They are not fly worthy. They are cleared for taxiing, but that’s it. And even then require a considerable amount of maintenance.
I know but they should never have been dropped from frontline so quickly
FA2 went out of service in 2006. Strike was the priority so the upgraded GR9 was born. The original out of service date for the GR7/9 was 2018. So it would be long gone even if it had survived SDSR 2010.
Forces News today 5 April Last2 USMC pilots get their wings to fly V8B Harriers at least the yanks saw the benefits of such an Aircraft sad too say
And maybe our Harriers would have survived longer if we had a US-sized defence budget and economy. But we don’t.
But we’re extremely good at wasting much needed funds with over runs in other branches as well and at this present time a war footing economy drive should be at the forefront of this Government and future government agenda but in reality NHS and social welfare will dominate where taxpayer money will go
Because that’s what wins votes. I do think attitudes are changing, and I also think the defence budget will only be heading in one direction over the next few years. (up) Just won’t get to where it needs to be as quick as we would like. Without borrowing more money, or spending considerably less on something else. We need economic growth to fund any new money for defence.
Totally agree Saving for a rainy day and make hay when the sunshines doesn’t seem too be trendy buzz words unfortunately some UK voters cannot grasp That printing more money isn’t good economics just hope we have time too pull ourselves up even if it hurts
All of the conflicts that the U.K has. Been involved in in the last decade have been tailor made for the harrier and the tornado to have shown their worth people bang on about the stealth,payload and speed of the aircraft, but neither would have been employed in air to air warfare, just another beancounter cut. Just like the ark royal they operate from.
They deploy with next t no F 35,’sand the hangar has a Halton. Gas suppression system which is like a magic spell for putting out fire
It happens in a lot of modern high tech. It gets very warm when it is in constant use, it isthe way that the issue of a fire is dealt with that is the most important thing.usually if it just overheating then a co2 or powder extinguisher I usually enough.