AN ELDERLY resident and a member of staff were taken to hospital from a rest home at Whitfield, near Dover, early this morning after fire broke out in the laundry room.

The alarm was raised just before 2am and fire crews from Dover, Whitfield and Deal were called to the scene.

Some residents were evacuated from their rooms and taken to another part of the three-storey building for safety as fire-fighters wearing breathing apparatus rescued one resident and a woman member of staff. They were both suffering from smoke inhalation and were taken to hospital by ambulance.

The fire brigade said it was a small fire in the laundry room, and crews left the scene at 3am.