AN ARMY barracks was engulfed in fire reportedly caused by officers ‘duelling’ with flares.

Ten fire engines from Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service, travelling from as far afield as Westbourne, were called to the scene of the blaze in Bovington at midnight on Friday, July 22.

The service’s aerial platform was also required so firefighters in breathing equipment could access the top floor of the seven-storey Allenby Barracks and extinguish the blaze using four main line hoses.

A spokesman said the large attendance was routine for a multi-storey accommodation block and most of the vehicles, hailing from Poole, Swanage and Wareham stations among others, remained at the scene for a short while on standby.

The cause of the fire - which did not cause any injuries - is currently being investigated, but it is alleged to have been the result of two officers ‘duelling’ with flare guns in an attempt to settle a disagreement which arose during a lively celebratory dinner in the mess.

Armed forces broadcasting service Forces TV said that, according to Army sources, the pair had “decided the solution to their argument was to each take a kayak into the swimming pool and fire flare guns at each other”.

Also, Forces TV said base firefighting efforts were hampered as hoses had been turned off due to concerns about Legionaires disease, so firefighters used water from the nearby swimming pool.

The Dorset fire spokesman said crews had not needed specialist water carriers.

The officers are said to be lieutenants in the Royal Armoured Corps who were celebrating finishing a tank command course not long after leaving the Army officer training college at Sandhurst.

An Army spokesman said the branch was working alongside Dorset fire to investigate.

“We can confirm a fire occurred on Friday evening at Bovington Camp,” she said.

“There was some damage but no one was injured, while an investigation is taking place it would be inappropriate to comment further.”