Care home residents rescued after fire

Elderly residents have been rescued from a care home after a large fire tore through the property.

Emergency services evacuated at least 25 residents from Standon House Care Home in Ashby Road, Tamworth after the blaze was reported at around 11pm on Saturday.

West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) said a total of seven residents were taken to hospital, two in a "serious condition".

A WMAS spokesman said: "The property has suffered very considerable damage, but fortunately, firefighters and staff were able to bring all of the residents out of the building.

"After assessment at the scene by ambulance staff and the doctors, six patients were taken to Good Hope Hospital with a further patient taken to Queen's Hospital in Burton.

"Two of the patients taken to Good Hope were in a serious condition."

The spokesman said a total of 16 other residents were rehoused within adjacent flats, with a further two people taken by ambulance to other care homes.

A Staffordshire Police spokesman said the seven residents were taken to the two hospitals to be "assessed after smoke inhalation".

Inspector Beverley Rounds, of Staffordshire Police, said: "We are now awaiting further updates on the condition of the residents attending hospital.

"We've had a number of calls from people living nearby and we want to thank them for their vigilance and reassure them the residents have been evacuated.

"Investigators will now be working to establish the cause of the fire."

The force said Ashby Road was closed near to Landau Forte School while the incident was dealt with, but reopened at 4.30am, and that fire crews are still at the scene.

Staffordshire Police confirmed all residents were safely evacuated and have been moved to alternative accommodation.

A spokeswoman for Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service said one fire crew remains at the scene and that a total of five appliances were sent to the scene at the height of the blaze.