Six Faslane Staff In Hospital After Inhaling Nitrogen Gas

Six Royal Navy personnel have been taken to hospital after inhaling gas during a routine fire exercise at Faslane.

Officials said the fire suppression system was activated by mistake while on board of a warship docked at the naval base.

Six members of the crew inhaled gas, believed to be nitrogen, and were taken to Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley.

Emergency services were called to the naval base just after 05:30.

They were taken to the Royal Alexandria Hospital as a precaution. Their families have been informed, and an investigation has been launched.

A Royal Navy spokesman said: "We can confirm that there has been an incident on a surface ship alongside HM Naval Base Clyde this morning. 

"A routine fire exercise triggered the ship’s fire suppression system, which resulted in a number of personnel inhaling a gas." 

"Six personnel were taken to hospital as a precaution and have now been released; all others were declared fit at the Naval Base’s sick bay.

“There was no threat to the Naval Base or the public and nor was there at any time a fire on board.  The ship's company, which is trained to deal with all scenarios, dealt with the incident extremely professionally."

An investigation is underway into how the accident happened.

HM Naval Base Clyde is the Royal Navy's main presence in Scotland.

It's the home of the submarines which carry Britain's nuclear deterrent.