Horror as 10 are killed when fire rips through Spanish retirement home

At least ten people have been killed and one left critically injured after a fire tore through a Spanish retirement home.

The blaze broke out around 5am this morning at the residence in Villafranca de Ebro near the northern city of Zaragoza.

More than 80 people were inside at the time, regional governors have said.

The home was named locally as Jardines de Villafranca, a retirement complex comprised of three adjoining buildings that stands alone on a large plot of land.

The blaze has since been extinguished but it is not yet clear why it started.

The fire sparked a massive response from emergency services with firefighters, paramedics and members of Spain's Civil Guard descending on the scene as day broke. 

Psychologists and social workers were also sent to the scene to provide support to the victims' families and affected residents.

According to sources cited by Spain's Articulo 14, the fire broke out in a part of the building described as 'difficult to access'.

The mayor of the town, Volga Ramirez Gamiz, told reporters that the fire was concentrated in one room, but the smoke spread throughout the residence. 

Firefighters, who came from the city of Zaragoza some 22 miles from the scene, managed to extinguish the flames in the early hours of the morning but the damage was already done.

Ten residents were reported dead, with an eleventh in critical care at the nearby Miguel Servet hospital. 

Dozens of other residents were successfully evacuated but several needed treatment for smoke inhalation and other minor injuries.

The central government's representative in the Aragon region, Fernando Beltran, told reporters the causes of the deaths were under investigation but likely due to smoke inhalation. 

As an investigation was launched into the cause of the fire, top officials flocked to the scene.

Minister of the Interior for the regional government, Roberto Bermudez de Castro, and the manager of the Institute of Social Services (IASS), Angel Val, both travelled to assess the situation. 

The head of the Aragon government, Jorge Azcon, said he was 'shocked' and was 'suspending public engagements as a sign of mourning.' 

A preliminary report on the cause of the fire is expected in the coming hours. 

The Jardines de Villafranca residence was opened in 2008 as a home for the elderly but had recently specialised in elderly people with mental health problems.