Royal Navy: Fire aboard HMS Queen Elizabeth injures ten sailors and spreads across ship, national reports say

As reported in The Sun, the blaze which ignited on HMS Queen Elizabeth last Friday destroyed 100 beds and spread across the mess decks and sleeping areas. The national publication said the inferno started in an air conditioning unit shortly after 11pm, with crews having to fight the flames before the compartment was sealed off to stop it spreading.

"The order came to clear lower decks after the fire broke out and everyone mustered in the hangar for a headcount," a source told the tabloid. "Some sailors were drunk as they were off-duty and it was Friday night. Those that were fit enough were given jobs to help with the fire."

The Sun said sprinkler systems were eventually activated to extinguish the flames. The £3.2bn Royal Navy warship was moored in Glenmallen in Scotland at the time of the fire.

HMS Queen Elizabeth left Portsmouth on March 5 to head for the Rosyth dry dock, where she was built. Repairs to a shaft coupling will be carried out after a fault was discovered in February during pre-sailing checks. She was due to lead the UK Carrier Strike Group on Exercise Steadfast Defender, but was replaced by her sister ship, HMS Prince of Wales.

A Royal Navy spokesman told The Sun the isolated fire was quickly brought under control, with her commitments not being impacted by the incident.