"Reckless": Court Martial For Officers Who Started Fire At 'Drunken Party'

A court martial is underway after two Army officers started a fire at their barracks by firing flares during a drunken party.

Forces News revealed details of the incident last year, which saw the pair taking kayaks into a swimming pool and firing flares at each other.

It's now emerged that the officers had been attempting to have 'gladiator fights', centred around the pool.

Lieutenant Tim Carpenter has admitted finding the flares before handing some to Captain Rupert Nurich, who admits setting the pyrotechnic off which started the blaze.

The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards soldier fired one through the window of living headquarters, causing a "substantial fire".

Both deny arson and criminal damage as to recklessly endanger life.

Prosecutor David Edwards said the defendants then went to "try to put the fire out", according to Scottish newspaper the Herald.

Unfortunately, when personnel tried to put out the fire, Forces News sources said the base's fire hoses had been shut off due to fears over Legionnaires disease following an outbreak on the base in January.

An attempt was made to put the fire out with a CO2 fire extinguisher but after this failed, soldiers were forced to call the Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service just before midnight.

Mr Edwards said: "The fire crew was called but there was substantial damage to the building.

"One woman, a steward who had been working, was in her room at the time when it came through her window and was forced to go running out. "

"Lt Carpenter said that he found the flares and Capt Nurich admits he set the flare off, damaging the property. They both dispute that they were being reckless at the time.

"The Crown says Capt Nurich was acting recklessly. He was aware there was a risk a flare could start a fire and it's the same with Lt Carpenter.

"He was aware of the risks when he handed them over.

"Capt Nurich was arrested after and said he was drunk before the mess games. He said Lt Carpenter told him there were flares."

"He said he and Lt Carpenter had let off a few flares around the corner before the last one was let off, which he said was erratic.

"He said this flare had a different recoil. Lt Carpenter said this flare was old and faded."

The fire at Allenby Barracks, Bovington, Dorset, which saw 10 fire crews working to fight the flames, came after a dinner attended by about 50 soldiers and civilians.

Sources at the base said the fire service used water from the swimming pool, emptying it as they tackled the fire.   They said the building was unusable and the ground floor remained underwater.

The court martial heard earlier in the evening Lt Carpenter told Capt Nurich he had found three flares for "tonight's festivities" and that they had planned "gladiatorial combat games" after the dinner.

They had built a pontoon-style bridge on the pool, from planks of wood and a kayak, with the intention of fighting each other using brooms with pillows on the ends, inspired by the 1990s TV show Gladiators.

A "drunk" Capt Nurich fired the out-of-date flare after getting out of the pool, having fallen in while trying to walk on the 'pontoon'.

It came after soldiers had been fighting with Roman Candle fireworks, with Capt Nurich having let off two other flares over the course of the evening.

Witness Lieutenant Thomas Quant, who had not been drinking, told the court martial:

"It was decided for the post-dinner entertainment we would do a gladiatorial-combat sort of exercise."

Another soldier, Captain Daniel Gregory, said:

"Capt Nurich fell in and looked a little embarrassed and we were all laughing because it was quite funny.

"I looked at him when he got out and it looked like he had a cigar tube, then he fired it up straight so I realised it was a flare.

"There was an awkward silence and Capt Nurich said 'excuse me, I need to go fight a fire' or something like that. I went into the room and found Capt Nurich fighting the fire. The extinguisher didn’t do too much to stop the fire."

The court martial continues.

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