A suspected carbon monoxide poisoning incident at Gainsborough Care Home in Swanage, Dorset has left three people dead and seven hospitalised. Officers evacuated residents of the care home to nearby All Saints Church following the incident, with around forty residents transferred. A 60-year-old woman was later arrested on suspicion of manslaughter. Dorset Police are treating the deaths as “unexplained” but with potential carbon monoxide poisoning the “primary line of inquiry”.
The community has been praised for its response to the incident and for coming together to help evacuate and offer emotional support to elderly residents affected by the tragedy. A local bakery donated pastries to comfort the evacuated residents while a restaurant sent bags of fish and chips. Dorset South MP Lloyd said the deaths at the care home were a “devastating blow to the whole community”.
Rev Jo Levasier of All Saints’ Church took in the evacuated residents and spoke of the difficult evacuation process, saying: “It took several hours to get everybody evacuated. We used every space of the church – the place was crawling with all emergency services… I have to say the emergency services were totally awesome.” Levasier praised the community for coming together and providing help and support to one another.
The deputy mayor of Swanage, Chris Moreton, also thanked those involved in the response to the incident, saying: “The response of the ambulance service gives you some initial thought of the situation which I would describe as dire. The manner in which it happened so quickly is enough to shock anyone – thank you to those who went the extra mile. The [care home] staff are traumatised… we will be endeavouring to support them.” Dorset Council has said that it is working with the home and other agencies to support the residents of the care home who are vulnerable people with significant care needs
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