ELDERLY residents were rescued from a fire at a nursing home in Stourport, in the early hours of this morning.

Firefighters were called to Astley Hall residential home at 12.40am, with reports that there was a fire in the kitchen.

On arrival at the scene, in Church Lane, the Stourport fire crew found a smoke-logged kitchen and elderly residents and staff still inside the home.

Five residents were moved to an area of safety, including one who was bed-bound, from rooms above the kitchen area.

With support from two further crews from Kidderminster and Bewdley, four firefighters in breathing apparatus entered the property and used two hose reels and a carbon dioxide extinguisher to put out the fire.

Watch Manager Len Rees, said: “This type of incident can be quite alarming for elderly residents but we were on the scene quickly and able to offer reassurance as we moved those above the kitchen area to a safer location.”

He added: “The fire was brought under control in under an hour and we used ventilation equipment to help remove smoke from the building. We also helped with the mopping up post-incident.”

Care home Operations Manager, Mandy Coyne, said: “This was dealt with very promptly and professionally by staff on duty. All residents’ safety was maintained. There is now a clear up operation in progress and residents have enjoyed a fish and chip lunch.”

The building has suffered smoke damage to the kitchen and damage to a small section of the non-slip flooring.

The home is now running as normal and fire is believed to have started in an electric fan in the kitchen.