AN ELDERLY resident died and four others were taken to hospital today after a fire broke out at a nursing home.
The fire on the first floor of the Old Rectory residential care home in Gumfreston village, near Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales, was discovered at about 3am today.
Emergency services workers rescued 19 residents, but one elderly woman died. Four residents were taken to Withybush Hospital, Haverfordwest, suffering from smoke inhalation and minor injuries.
A police spokesman said the other residents were being moved to nursing homes in Pembrokeshire.
At the height of the blaze at the former hotel, up to 30 firefighters and six ambulances were at the scene.
The tragedy comes just days after 14 elderly people died after a fire broke out at a nursing home in Scotland.
The blaze at Rosepark Nursing Home, Uddingston, Lanarkshire, last weekend was the country's worst ever nursing home disaster.
Police and fire crews are investigating how the fire started.
Andrea Lane, spokeswoman for Help the Aged, said: "This is an appalling tragedy. Our thoughts and sympathies are with the families and friends of the residents at the Old Rectory residential home.
"We need a root and branch review of the fire safety regulations in all care settings across the UK to ensure that tragedies of this nature do not happen again."
Older people went into residential care homes in order to have a safe and secure environment in which to live.
