Police and firefighters are continuing to investigate a suspected carbon monoxide poisoning at a care home in Dorset where three elderly people died, as relatives of survivors and neighbours told of their shock at the tragedy.
Police said on Thursday the deceased at the Gainsborough care home in Swanage were two men aged 91 and 74 and an 86-year-old woman. Seven other people were taken to hospital as a precaution and are not in a serious condition.
A 60-year-old woman who was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter has been released under investigation.
Police said they were still exploring possible carbon monoxide poisoning as the primary line of inquiry and there was no wider risk to the community.
Dozens of residents who were evacuated from the home were looked after in a church hall. One woman whose 82-year-old mother was among those evacuated told the Guardian she believed the incident had been a “terrible accident”.
The woman said: “My mum has specialist care from ICSD [Intensive Community Support for Dementia]. They and my mum’s social worker let me know. I was allowed to see my mum in the church hall. One of the carers who is quite attached to my mum went in on his day off and he was just sat there holding her hand because she knew him.
“My mum got moved out last night to another care home. She’s OK but she’s in a very vulnerable position. She couldn’t get to the other home until 10 o’clock last night. She’s got no medication and she’s got no clothes.
“I don’t know what happened because it’s such a lovely home. The staff have been fantastic. They had activities. Mum’s room was allowed to be decorated. Their maintenance man was fantastic. I know he put all Mum’s pictures up. I think it sounds like a terrible accident.”
Police were called at 7.16am on Wednesday after the three people were found dead at the 48-bed care home in Ulwell Road.
Charlotte Harris, 34, who used to work in the care home as an activities coordinator, went to help. She said: “Shock is the main thing at the moment. It’s a big tragedy that doesn’t seem real. There’s a lot of sadness.”
Police stood guard outside the home, which is close to the Swanage seafront, while firefighters continued to carry out checks inside on Thursday. A police crime investigation van was parked outside.
Police said the 60-year-old woman was arrested to enable officers “to establish whether there were any actions or omissions that are believed to be grossly negligent, and inquiries will continue into this”.
The home is run by Agincare, a family-owned business founded in 1986 in Weymouth, Dorset, and now employing 4,000 people at more than 90 locations across England.
In a 2021 report, the Care Quality Commission rated the home as “good” and said “risks within the home environment were robustly managed”.
It quoted a relative as saying: “We don’t see anything unsafe. My [family member] was a fireman and we were brought up with health and safety in mind, and we don’t spot anything unsafe.” Another said: “They are very safety conscious.”
