Fall River Assisted Living Fire: 9 Lives Lost, Dozens Injured, 50+ Need Relocation. Investigation begins.

At least nine people died and dozens were injured after a fire broke out in an assisted living facility in Fall River, Massachusetts, on the night of Sunday, July 13th.

The fire broke out in the Gabriel House Assisted Living Facility shortly before 10 pm on Sunday night, the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services said in a statement.

In addition to the nine people who died, another person was in critical condition and more than 30 others were taken to hospitals in “varying conditions,” the department of fire services said. Five firefighters were also taken to hospitals for non-life-threatening injuries.

MassFirePics via Storyful – Footage shows first responders outside the Gabriel House Assisted Living Facility on Sunday night

Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey called the fire a tragedy. “My heart goes out to those who are waking up to the most horrific news imaginable about their loved ones this morning,” Healey wrote on X. “I’m grateful to the firefighters and first responders whose heroic efforts saved lives. We are all praying for those who lost loved ones and for the full recovery of those who were injured.”

According to the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services, the cause of the fire is under investigation. The fire, according to firefighter officials was confined to one wing, yet thick smoke went throughout the building rapidly. 50 firefighters were joined by 30 others who responded while off-duty or from other departments.

Mayor Coogan was present at the fire from the evening into the following evening, giving interviews with various media and arranging for residents who needed placement to be placed.

Owner

The owner of the facility is Dennis Etzkorn. Etzkorn was indicted 13 years ago for Medicaid fraud, along with the director of Gabriel House, but charges never came to court as evidence did not have a clear line of authority.  The three parties named were accused of paying $150 to MassHealth patients and their caregivers for referring new MassHealth patients to Gabriel CareEtzkorn owns another facility nearby as well as a construction company in Mansfield. The owner is said to be cooperating with officials.

The building was formerly a rooming house known as Redwood – a reporter pointed out that underneath the siding was “red wood”. The facility is 61 years old.

A CNA interviewed on television said there were no practices for fire drills, and that “the place should have been shut down long ago” – she said she was “embarrassed to worked there”, saying the owner only came around on rent day.

Most of those who died have been identified:

Rui Albernaz, 64

Ronald Codega, 61

Margaret Duddy, 69

Robert King, 78

Kim Mackin, 71

Eleanor Willett, 86

Richard Rochon, 78

Female, 70

Male 77 

Some of the issues that are being investigated are position of air conditioners in the windows, lack of fire drill experience, elevators that had a history of not working, leaving some people in their apartments for weeks on end, under-staffed fire department response, ownership background in question, training of staff, “first” floor being actually a basement floor, with windows above them. The cause of the fire does not appear to be suspicious. The firefighters’ union said if they had been adequately staffed more lives could have been saved. Mayor Coogan responded that this is not the time for politics.

A Go-Fund Me account has been set up:  https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-families-affected-by-gabriel-house-fire