Staff at a care home in Ross have been praised for their actions following a fire in a resident's bedroom early on Tuesday morning (April 16 th).

Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service (HWFRS) was alerted to the incident at Lawfords House residential care home in Walford Road at 4.01am and two fire crews from Ross fire station initially attended.

On arrival at the incident fire crews were faced with a fire in a first floor bedroom and staff in the process of evacuating the elderly residents from the property. To assist with the incident crews immediately requested further assistance and two further fire crews (from Whitchurch and Fownhope) attended along with police and ambulance crews. Station Commander Neil Lilwall from HWFRS said: "A member of staff at the care home was alerted to the fire by the activation of a smoke detector and she found a small fire in a first floor bedroom which she tackled using foam extinguishers. She also evacuated the elderly resident from the bedroom and raised the alarm."

He confirmed that the fire was quickly brought under control by three crews in breathing apparatus using two hose reels and a cover.

A total of 11 residents were evacuated from the property, seven from the first floor and four from the ground floor. Ten of these and one member of staff were checked by paramedics at the scene while the member of staff and the man in the bedroom where the fire started were both taken to hospital to be checked for the effects of smoke inhalation.

For the full story please see this week's Ross Gazette.