SIX Royal Navy personnel were taken to hospital after inhaling gas during a fire exercise on board a ship at Faslane on Wednesday

Emergency services were called to the naval base shortly after 5.30am after the incident on board a surface ship.

The injured personnel were taken to the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley as a precautionary measure.

A Royal Navy spokesman told the Advertiser: “We can confirm that there has been an incident on a surface ship alongside HM Naval Base Clyde. 

“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.

“The ship’s company are now back on board the vessel and an immediate ship’s investigation will be conducted in due course.”