THREE elderly residents were treated by paramedics following a fire at a Maldon retirement complex.

A fire broke out in Spital Road, Maldon, this morning.

Crews from Essex County Fire & Rescue Service were called to the road shortly after 6am.

Two crews from Maldon and one from Chelmsford attended.

A fire had broken out in a resident's bedroom.

The Careline service alerted the crews. They dealt with the fire on the ground floor and carried out searches of the second and third floor for any casualties.

Three residents suffered smoke inhalation and were left in the care of the Ambulance Service.

The building suffered extensive smoke damage.

Dan Partridge, Station Manager at Maldon Fire Station, said: "We were alerted to the incident by the Careline service with reports that a smoke alarm in a retirement complex was sounding, and on arrival crews discovered a well developed fire in a resident's bedroom.

"Residents had followed the building's Stay Put policy and we worked with the building's management to review the visual plans of the building and understand the layout and which rooms were occupied."

An investigation will take place to determine the cause of the fire.