Canterbury care home residents in hospital after fire

Fourteen residents of a care home in Kent were taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation and shock after a fire broke out in a laundry room.

Ambulances and four fire appliances attended the scene at The Chase in Ethelbert Road, Canterbury, when the blaze broke out on Monday night.

Kent Fire and Rescue Service said a total of 26 residents had to be rescued from the premises.

All those taken to hospital were back at the home by the morning.

'Cup of tea'

"They are all fine," said a spokeswoman for The Chase, which cares for people with dementia.

"They are comfortable, safe and enjoying a cup of tea."

The blaze is believed to have started in a tumble drier.

"The staff had put their emergency plans into action and we quickly identified where the fire was and where the residents were," said fire crew manager Steve Davies.

"There was a lot of smoke but we managed to contain the blaze to the laundry room and it was extinguished in half an hour.