A housing block at the Pepenbury Care Home in Cornford Lane, Pembury, had to be evacuated last night when a fire broke out in the kitchen.

Six patients and two members of staff at the Swallows House spent the night in the Premier Inn in Tonbridge after fire crews attended a 999 call at 6.45pm. A seventh man decided to go and stay with relatives.

Two fire crews used breathing apparatus, dry powder, a hose reel jet and a fog-spike to tackle a fire which started in the fuse box in the kitchen.

A positive pressure ventilation fan was then used to clear smoke and fumes from the building.

The kitchen was destroyed by the fire, with partial damage to the roof space and smoke damage to an adjoining room.

Staff immediately implemented their emergency procedures and no-one was injured. The company already had an arrangement to house residents in local hotels should the need arise.

The home caters for around 70 residents with learning difficulties in 10 housing blocks. The other houses and residents were unaffected.

At present there is no electrical supply to the damaged property, but engineers from UK Power Networks are on site.

The blaze was extinguished just after 8pm, although fire crews remained on hand until almost 10pm.