Police statement on unexplained deaths as care home is evacuated

Three people were found dead and four more have been taken to hospital
-Credit: (Image: Getty Images)


Dorset Police has issued a statement after three people were found dead at a care home. Four more people have been taken to hospital amid the major incident which has seen the Gainsborough Care Home in Ulwell Road, Swanage, evacuated.

South Western Ambulance Service confirmed people were taken to hospital and a hazard response team was deployed earlier today, Wednesday, October 23. Emergency services remain at the scene and a cordon is in place around the care home as the incident continues to unfold.

Dorset Police said its officers were called to the premises at around 7.16am today after three people were found dead. The deaths are being treated as unexplained and an investigation has been launched. The families of those found dead have been informed and the coroner has been notified.

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More than 40 vulnerable residents and staff were evacuated by ambulances and taken to the All Saints Church nearby for shelter. Two other residents were rushed to Poole Hospital with suspected carbon monoxide poisoning.

A fleet of 15 ambulances rushed to the scene on Ulwell Road on the edge of the normally sleepy Victorian seaside town. Fire crews and police also attended the incident along with gas engineers from the Southern Gas Network (SGN) who are waiting to be given clearance to enter the 48 room care home.

Four other people have been hospitalised as a precaution, Dorset Police said. All other residents have been evacuated while emergency services respond to the incident.

The Dorset Police statement reads: "Dorset Police received a report at 7.16am on Wednesday 23 October 2024 in relation to three people who had been found deceased at a care home in Ulwell Road, in Swanage. Enquiries are being carried out to establish the full circumstances and we are continuing to liaise with our partner agencies.

"The families of those who have died have been informed and the coroner has been notified. The deaths are currently being treated as unexplained and an investigation has been launched.

"Four other people have been taken to hospital as a precaution and other residents of the address have been evacuated to a safe location as emergency services respond to the incident.

"There remains a significant multi-agency presence in place at the address and a cordon remains in place as we work with partners to carry out further enquiries.

"At this time there is no wider risk to the public. We understand this incident will have a significant impact on the Swanage community and out thoughts are very much with the families of those who have sadly died at this extremely difficult time."

In a statement, Dorset & Wiltshire Fire Service said officials are working with multiple agencies on the scene and "are asking the public to avoid the area". The service said: "We are working with @dorsetpolice, @swasFT & other partners to resolve this incident. We are asking the public to avoid the area to allow the emergency services to deal with this incident."

A spokesperson for Gainsborough Care Home has said evacuated residents are "safe and well" following this morning's incident, adding that it will allocate "extra staffing resources" for support.

They said: “An incident involving the care home took place this morning, and we have been closely working with the lead agencies to manage the welfare of all concerned. The wellbeing of residents is always our overriding priority, and part of the local business continuity plan was to transfer residents in a managed way to a local village hall and church, where they remain safe and well.

“We appreciate that this is a stressful and worrying time for those involved, and have allocated extra staffing resources to provide support locally. We are contacting and updating residents’ families. We will continue to work with the lead local authority services to return residents into their home at the earliest opportunity, and will provide further updates in due course.”