A care worker was taken to hospital with smoke inhalation following a fire in a Whitton care home last night.

All seven residents managed to escape the fire at Kneller Road Residential Care Home, which broke out at about 2.30am and was under control by 3.48am.

Twickenham fire station watch manager Noel Hanson said: “Crews could see flames coming out of the windows when they arrived on the scene and quickly realised the severity of the fire.

“The residents and care worker fled to the back garden at the home before crews arrived on the scene.

The care worker was taken to hospital with smoke inhalation but it is not thought that any of the residents were injured.”

Mr Hanson said: “It’s testament to the hard work of our crews that no one was badly hurt and the damage to the building was limited.”

He also took the opportunity to remind local people to get a smoke alarm: “I hope this serious fire will remind everyone to make sure they’ve got a working smoke alarm on each level of their home and to check it regularly. Smoke alarms do save lives. It’s as simple as that.”

About 20 fire fighters attended the incident with four fire engines from Twickenham, Heston and Feltham fire stations. Two ambulances also attended.

The cause of the blaze is now under investigation.

For more information on fire safety, visit london-fire.gov.uk/homefiresafetyvisit.asp.