A woman has been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter after three people were found dead at a care home in Swanage.

Dorset Police said they arrested the 60-year-old woman on Wednesday “to enable us to establish whether there were any acts or omissions that were grossly negligent and to gather as much information as possible about what happened”.

The deaths at Gainsborough Care Home are currently being treated as “unexplained” and possible carbon monoxide poisoning is the “main line of enquiry”, police said in an earlier update.

Seven people were taken to hospital “as a precaution” and the property was evacuated.

Police, who were called at 7.16am on Wednesday, said there was no risk to the general public.

A spokesman for Southern Gas Network confirmed it was called to Gainsborough Care Home.

The home, run by Agincare, has 48 residents, all elderly and some with dementia.

All residents were evacuated to a nearby church hall, some in wheelchairs.

A spokesman for the care home said it had deployed “additional staff resources” amid the incident and said the welfare of residents was its “top priority”.

Dorset Councilor Gary Suttle said: “Our condolences and sympathies go out to those who lost their lives in this tragic event.”

He thanked locals for coming into the church where people had been evacuated, bringing blankets in acts of “great community support”.

South West Ambulance Service said it was called to the home in Swanage at 5.20am and sent an emergency response team, 10 ambulances and “a significant number of additional resources”.

A spokeswoman for Southern Gas Network said: “We were called to Gainsborough Care Home in Swanage today in our capacity as the national gas emergency service for the south of England.

“Our engineers are awaiting access to the building to complete safety checks.

“Our thoughts are with all those affected by this tragic incident.”

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Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service said it sent four crews to the scene in Ulwell Road after being called at 7.47am, with two other crews from the Hampshire and Isle of Wight services also there.

Group manager Neil Tidball said: “Firefighters are working with Dorset Police, South West Ambulance Service and other partners to deal with this incident.”