Chelsea’s first-team players and staff were briefly evacuated from their Cobham training base on Friday afternoon after an alarm in the swimming pool area raised fears of a possible chlorine leak.
The incident prompted an immediate response from Surrey Fire and Rescue Service, though it was later confirmed to be a false alarm.
The scare occurred shortly before the squad’s scheduled training session ahead of their Premier League clash with Sunderland.
According to The Sun, players were already changed and preparing to head onto the pitch when the alert sounded, forcing everyone to leave the main building as a safety precaution.
Fire crews arrived within minutes to investigate the source of the alarm, which had been automatically triggered in the hydrotherapy section of the complex.
Chelsea later confirmed that the evacuation was purely precautionary and that no one had been in danger.
“Fire services responded to an automatically triggered alarm at Chelsea FC’s Cobham training facility,” a club spokesman said.
Chelsea’s first-team players and staff were briefly evacuated from their Cobham training base on Friday afternoon after an alarm in the swimming pool area raised fears of a possible chlorine leak
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“As a precaution, all staff were safely evacuated. Emergency services confirmed a false alarm, and staff and players were able to return to the building.”
After fire officers gave the all-clear, the team resumed their normal schedule, completing their afternoon training session as planned.
The players later returned indoors to collect their belongings once officials confirmed the site was safe.
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Chelsea have been based at Cobham since 2005
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The hydrotherapy pool at Cobham, a 56-foot facility featuring an underwater treadmill and monitoring cameras, is a crucial part of Chelsea’s state-of-the-art recovery suite.
It is regularly used by injured players undergoing rehabilitation as well as first-team stars completing recovery sessions following matches.
The brief evacuation adds to a run of unusual off-field moments at Chelsea’s £20million training complex in 2025.
Earlier this year, it was reported that staff had been unable to locate £30,000 worth of camera equipment, prompting a report to Surrey Police.
It was unclear at the time whether the equipment had been misplaced or stolen, but the incident led to a review of internal inventory procedures.
Chelsea have been based at Cobham since 2005, when the site first opened while still under construction.
Enzo Maresca will be hoping to guide Chelsea to victory over Sunderland on Saturday
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Officially inaugurated in 2007, the 140-acre facility has grown into one of the most advanced training environments in world football.
It now houses the club’s men’s and women’s first teams, the academy, and its community football programmes.
Built with strict planning restrictions to ensure it blended into the surrounding countryside, roughly a third of the complex’s indoor facilities lie underground.
The design allows for an expansive layout featuring multiple pitches, gyms, medical suites, and recovery areas — all intended to support peak athletic performance.
Friday’s false alarm caused only a minor interruption, with training continuing uninterrupted on the pitches outside.
Chelsea's match with Sunderland takes place at 3pm on Saturday.