Three elderly residents die in suspected carbon monoxide poisoning at a care home in Swanage, Dorset
Three
Dead in Suspected Carbon Monoxide Poisoning at Dorset Care Home, Survivors Evacuated
SWANAGE,
Dorset — The Gainsborough care home in Swanage, Dorset, is under investigation
after a suspected carbon monoxide leak led to the tragic deaths of three
elderly residents. The victims, two men aged 91 and 74 and a woman aged 86,
were discovered early Wednesday morning. Police and fire services continue to
examine the scene.
The
tragedy unfolded at the 48-bed facility on Ulwell Road, where authorities were
called at 7:16 a.m. Seven additional residents were rushed to the hospital for
precautionary checks but were not in serious condition. Gainsborough is run by
Agincare, a family-owned care provider with facilities across the UK.
A
60-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter but has since been
released under investigation. Dorset Police are treating carbon monoxide
poisoning as their primary line of inquiry, though they stressed there is no
wider threat to the community.
Evacuated
residents were taken to a local church hall, where some relatives, like the
daughter of an 82-year-old resident, praised the care home staff for their
rapid response. “The staff have been fantastic... I think it sounds like a
terrible accident,” she told The Guardian.
Charlotte
Harris, 34, a former activities coordinator at the home, expressed the shock
felt by the community: “It’s a big tragedy that doesn’t seem real. There’s a
lot of sadness.”
Agincare,
the home’s operator, has pledged full cooperation with the investigation. The
Care Quality Commission had previously rated the facility as "good" in
2021, praising the home’s management of risks.
The
care home, located near Swanage’s seafront, remains under police guard as
investigations continue.
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