Dozens of residents were led to safety from their Black Country nursing home to by staff after a suspected electrical fault caused a ferocious blaze to start in the site’s boiler room.

Three fire crews were sent to the fire at Oaklands Nursing Home in Wartell Bank, Kingswinford. All 39 residents had been evacuated from the building by 10 members of staff by the time they arrived.

It took 15 firefighters from Brierley Hill and Halesowen stations 20 minutes to put the flames out but they were still at the scene dampening down almost three hours later.

The residential home’s power supplies were cut off as a result of yesterday’s fire meaning alternative accommodation had to be found for residents last night. Crew commander Andrew Wagner said it could be several days before power was restored.

The boiler room was gutted and there was some smoke damage to the inside of the home.