2025 Fall River assisted-living fire

2025 Fall River assisted-living fire

840m 916yds     Location of the fire in Fall River, Massachusetts
Date	July 13–14, 2025
Time	21:50 EDT (01:50 UTC)
Location	Gabriel House Assisted Living Facility, 261 Oliver Street, Fall River, Massachusetts, U.S.
Coordinates	41°41′34″N 71°9′59″W
Type	Residential building fire
Cause	Under investigation; suspected accidental
Deaths	~9
Non-fatal injuries	30+ (incl. 6 firefighters; 1–2 critical)

The 2025 Fall River assisted-living fire, also known as the Gabriel House fire, was a five-alarm fire that broke out at the Gabriel House Assisted Living Facility in Fall River, Massachusetts, United States, on the night of July 13–14, 2025. The fire began shortly after 9:30 p.m. and spread through the three-storey building, with residents visible at upper-floor windows when firefighters arrived.

Nine residents died and more than 30 people—including six firefighters—were injured, making the incident one of the state's deadliest building fires in recent decades. About 70 residents were inside the 100-unit complex at the time; many used wheelchairs or supplemental oxygen, which complicated rescue efforts. State officials said the building was equipped with sprinklers and smoke detectors and was licensed by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs.

By July 16, eight of the nine victims had been publicly identified by the Bristol County District Attorney's Office. Preliminary investigative findings released the same day indicated that the fire originated in a single resident's room on the facility's second-floor south wing and is considered accidental pending further laboratory analysis.

Background

Gabriel House is a privately operated, non-profit assisted-living facility that opened in 1999 and contains 100 single-bed studio units. It was established to serve older adults "who cannot afford the high end of assisted living" and accepts residents who are diabetic, incontinent, or non-ambulatory.

The three-storey wood-frame building, constructed around 1964, has a vinyl exterior and an asphalt-shingle roof. The property, at 261 Oliver Street in Fall River's South End—about 150 m (500 ft) from St. Anne's Hospital—was purchased for US$2.787 million on 23 December 1998. The Massachusetts Department of Fire Services states that the building is equipped with sprinklers and smoke detectors and is licensed by the state Executive Office of Elder Affairs.

Gabriel House is owned by Gabriel Care Inc., whose principal, Dennis Etzkorn, also operates other health-care facilities in Massachusetts. In 2012 Etzkorn was indicted on allegations of more than US$1.2 million in kickbacks related to an adult-foster-care business; the charges were dismissed in 2015 after courts suppressed key evidence. Later that year Etzkorn and Gabriel Care LLC paid a US$950,000 civil settlement to resolve separate MassHealth kickback allegations.

Roughly 70 residents lived at the facility before the fire, many requiring substantial daily assistance; the resident population included members of Fall River's Italian, Portuguese and Polish communities. Facility materials described 24-hour staffing, electronic monitoring and an emergency-response system. A certified nursing assistant said the building's only elevator had been out of service for about nine months and was repaired shortly before the incident, adding that the facility was frequently dirty, pest-infested and understaffed.

A state compliance inspection on 17 October 2023 cited staffing shortfalls, incomplete emergency-preparedness plans and 26 resident incidents that had not been reported within the required 24-hour window. Gabriel House filed a plan of correction and retained its certificate to operate, valid through December 2025. The city of Fall River carried out its own inspection on 15 October 2024 and renewed the building's certificate of inspection through 15 October 2025.

Events

At approximately 21:50 EDT on 13 July 2025, an automated fire alarm and multiple 9-1-1 calls reported a fire at the three-storey Gabriel House Assisted Living Facility in Fall River, Massachusetts. Upon arrival, firefighters encountered heavy fire at the building's main entrance and smoke throughout the facility. Residents were observed at upper-floor windows signaling for assistance. An unidentified fire officer can be heard on radio recordings urgently requesting the dispatcher to "send all the medical rescues you can."

Fall River Police Department officers were the first to arrive. According to officials, officers entered the smoke-filled structure without protective equipment, forcibly opened doors, and assisted several non-ambulatory residents in evacuating. About a dozen residents were manually carried out by police personnel.

Incident Commander Chief Jeffrey Bacon escalated the response to a five-alarm fire within minutes. Approximately 50 firefighters—including about 30 off-duty personnel recalled to duty—responded to the incident, along with mutual aid companies and EMS units from Somerset, Swansea, Portsmouth (RI), Westport, Dartmouth, Raynham, Dighton, and Tiverton (RI), among other nearby jurisdictions. The Red Cross and DFS Rehab Units also provided support during the incident.

Due to the large number of residents, many of whom were mobility-impaired, a mass-casualty incident was declared. Emergency medical personnel set up a triage area on Oliver Street. Patients were transported to St. Anne's Hospital, Charlton Memorial Hospital, and two in critical condition were sent to Rhode Island Hospital for trauma and burn care.

Firefighters used ground ladders to reach upper-floor windows where trapped residents—many elderly or mobility-impaired—were seen signaling for help. According to Chief Bacon, at least twelve residents were rescued this way. However, rescue efforts were hindered by screwed-in window-mounted air-conditioning units, which blocked access and had to be forcibly removed before crews could extract occupants. In several instances, firefighters had to break or dislodge the units by hand or with tools while balancing on ladders, delaying evacuations.

Among those rescued was 77‑year‑old resident Albert Almanza, who described choking on smoke before firefighters guided him down the stairs; crews later reentered and retrieved an urn containing his daughter's ashes.

Although fire damage was largely contained to one ground-floor wing, smoke spread throughout the building. Several residents later reported they did not hear smoke detectors activate inside their rooms—only in hallways—which is now under investigation.

The fire was declared under control around 22:40 EDT, under an hour after dispatch. Search, rescue, and overhaul operations continued into the early morning hours of July 14. In total, ten residents died and more than 30 people, including six firefighters, sustained injuries.

Victims

Nine residents of the Gabriel House assisted-living facility in Fall River, Massachusetts, died as a result of the fire. According to the Bristol County District Attorney's Office, the victims ranged in age from 61 to 86. As of July 17, eight of the nine deceased have been publicly identified; a 70-year-old woman remains unnamed pending notification of next of kin.

• Rui Albernaz, 64
• Ronald Codega, 61
• Margaret Duddy, 69
• Robert King, 78
• Kim Mackin, 71
• Richard Rochon, 78 — a Vietnam War veteran
• Eleanor Willett, 86
• Joseph Wilansky, 77

On July 17-18 Brenda Cropper, 66 was erroneously reported as deceased by authorities. The The Bristol County District Attorney's Office cites a miscommunication with a medical agency for the false report. She remains in critical condition.

Some of the victims were pronounced dead at the scene, while others died at nearby hospitals after being transported by emergency services. More than 30 residents sustained injuries ranging from smoke inhalation to burns; five people remained hospitalized on July 17—including one resident in critical condition—with others listed as serious or stable. Injured residents were taken to multiple hospitals: 15 were treated at St. Anne's Hospital, 28 at Charlton Memorial Hospital, and 2 were transferred to Rhode Island Hospital for Level I trauma and burn care.

Six firefighters were also injured while responding to the blaze; all sustained non-life-threatening injuries and were released from medical care.

Investigation

Investigators from the Fall River Fire Department, Fall River Police, Massachusetts State Police (including the State Fire Marshal's Office), and the Bristol County District Attorney's Office have examined physical evidence, reviewed video footage, and interviewed witnesses. On July 15, spokesperson Jake Wark of the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services said the blaze "does not appear to be suspicious," although no definitive cause had been established.

At a media briefing on July 16, Fire Chief Jeffrey Bacon stated that preliminary findings trace the fire's point of origin to a single resident's room on the second-floor south wing. Investigators removed a damaged oxygen concentrator, a multi-plug power strip, and lamp wiring from that room for laboratory testing. Bacon emphasized that, while the origin room is now known, the incident remains classified as accidental until tests determine whether an electrical fault, oxygen-enriched environment, or careless smoking was the ignition source.

Investigators are also evaluating the performance of building fire-protection systems—sprinklers, smoke detectors, and alarm panels—alongside evacuation procedures and staffing levels at the time of the fire.

Parallel structural assessments by city inspectors led to an "unsafe structure" notice on July 16, citing utilities damage and pervasive smoke contamination; however, engineers deemed the building stable enough for investigators to continue working inside for several more days. A full investigative report with causal findings and safety recommendations is expected "later this summer," according to Bacon.

On July 15, Fall River Mayor Paul Coogan said that facility owner Dennis Etzkorn had "stopped cooperating" with city officials and was not returning calls; Coogan added at a July 16 press conference that he had since met with Etzkorn, who had resumed cooperation with the investigation.

Coogan later said that only two employees were on duty the night of the fire, caring for about 70 residents, most of whom required assistance with mobility and medication.

Aftermath

Surviving residents were temporarily sheltered at the Timao Centre on Bay Street. City officials said securing replacement medications and arranging longer-term housing were immediate priorities, as evacuated residents "have nothing" when they were evacuated.

Facility cook Paul Ferreira, who had worked there for five years, walked back to the scene after hearing of the fire and praised the rapid response: "They did an excellent job. You figured the building would be gone." He noted residents were sheltered in a nearby parking lot and later bused to temporary shelters, and that the 70 residents came from diverse backgrounds and "became part of your family."

Justin P. Teixeira, president of the Professional Paramedics of Fall River, praised the "grit and dedication" of EMS, fire, and police personnel, describing the incident as an example of seamless inter-agency cooperation. He noted that Fall River's Mobile Integrated Health division had assisted with retrieving and organizing patient medical records and medication boxes from the building to support continuity of care for displaced residents.

Some residents criticized facility staff for inaction. One, Robert Cabral, stated, "They didn't knock on one door. They just ran," reflecting a perception that employee response was inadequate.

A reunification point for relatives was established at the St. Anne's Hospital chapel across the street, with an information line set up for families to call.

Fire Chief Bacon said he would visit all fire stations in the city to ensure personnel had adequate mental health support, stating: "Everyone thinks firefighters are heroes and they're just designed to be able to deal with anything, but that's not the case... I'm a strong advocate for mental health support and I would say that for anybody that was at this scene last night... to seek the help that you need to deal with the tragic situation like this. Nobody is programmed to deal with this."

According to the Professional Paramedics of Fall River, peer-support and counseling services were being coordinated with local hospitals such as St. Anne's Hospital/Brown Health for EMS and fire personnel involved in the response.

Dennis Etzkorn, the owner of the Gabriel House facility, released a statement on July 15 stating, "I, along with my entire family, am devastated by the tragedy at Gabriel House. Our thoughts are with every one of our residents, their families, our staff, and the brave first responders. I am grateful for the support the city of Fall River has shown to everyone affected by this tragedy. We will continue to cooperate with the authorities and provide them with any information they may need throughout the investigative process regarding the cause and origin of this fire."

Policy & Regulatory Response

On July 18, Governor Maura Healey announced a statewide emergency review of fire-safety readiness at assisted-living residences. The Executive Office of Aging and Independence ordered all 273 assisted-living homes in Massachusetts to complete a fire-safety assessment survey within 30 days, detailing their sprinkler coverage, evacuation protocols, fire-drill schedules, and maintenance status of fire doors and walls. Facilities were also instructed to send letters to residents and their families explaining evacuation procedures and to post this information in all units and common areas within five days.

Healey said the initiative would ensure “every assisted living residence is prepared to respond to emergencies and to protect the safety of their residents.”

Fire union and staffing responses

Fall River Fire Chief Jeffrey Bacon called the blaze an "unfathomable tragedy," praising "dozens of rescues" and warning that smoke kills more people than flames.

Firefighter Michael O'Regan said he arrived roughly ten minutes after the alarm: "We did the best we could with what we had, and what we had wasn't enough." Forty minutes in, his brother — a captain — ventilated and searched third-floor windows, finding three victims and assisting a fourth, with no additional crews available to help.

At a press conference, International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) President Edward Kelly urged the city to put four firefighters on every truck, noting that eight of Fall River's ten companies run below that standard. "Lives would have been saved if the Fall River Fire Department was adequately staffed," he said, contrasting Fall River with nearby New Bedford, whose nine companies each carry four firefighters.

Fall River Fire Chaplain Father Michael Racine called the night "the worst experience of loss" in his ministry.

Mayor Coogan disputed claims of inadequate staffing, telling The Boston Globe that the department maintains 35 firefighters per shift, as requested by the fire chief, along with 20 "floater" firefighters to cover absences. Responding to union allegations, he said, "I don't know how they know that." When asked about the union's assertion that lives could have been saved had staffing met national standards during the initial response, Coogan replied, "I think it's way too premature. I want to let the investigation play out." He added, "My position would always be they're supposed to have 35 guys. I have no idea why they have 32."

Under intense union and public pressure, city officials and IAFF leaders announced on July 16 that Fall River would immediately raise staffing (via overtime) so that six of the department's ten engine companies operate with four firefighters—up from two—and pursue a longer-term plan to hire roughly 15–20 additional firefighters over the next two years. Mayor Coogan estimated the near-term cost at about $1.5 million; Bacon said the change increases minimum on-duty strength from 35 to 38 per shift. Kelly called the move "a step in the right direction" but said the union will continue to push for four-person crews on all companies.

City officials also said the broader investigation will include a review of staffing levels, response times, fire suppression tactics, and building safety systems; Bacon acknowledged the need for more manpower citywide even as he defended his department's performance the night of the fire, saying it would be "speculation" to link additional staffing directly to the number of fatalities.

Reactions

Political reactions

Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey reiterated her "deepest condolences" while visiting the scene and praised first responders' "heroic work." She stated, "I just want to say to the families and friends of those who perished, I offer my condolences, deepest condolences and sympathy on behalf of the Commonwealth for this tragic loss. We lost nine folks last night in this terrible tragedy and our hearts and our sympathies are with their families." Healey noted that all five firefighters who were hospitalized had since been released.

Describing the Gabriel House as a "fairly massive structure," Healey said she was grateful that "the vast, vast majority" of nearly 70 residents were rescued. "Most of them were people who needed help," she said. "These are people who are not able to move themselves, they were not mobile themselves, and therefore the work that fire and police and EMS did to get people out was truly amazing." Healey pledged that her administration "will do everything we can to offer support and assistance," and added that the state is in the process of rehousing displaced residents.

Advocacy groups, including the Disability Alliance, renewed calls for quarterly fire drills and stricter staffing requirements at assisted-living facilities. State senator Mark Montigny said he hoped “this fire will serve to do what we should have done ten years ago.”

U.S. Senator Ed Markey called the incident "an unimaginable tragedy," and Representative Jake Auchincloss said first responders "prevented an even greater catastrophe," wishing the injured "a full recovery."

Mayor Paul Coogan commended the coordinated efforts of firefighters, police, EMS, and hospital staff, calling their performance amid chaos "spectacular work."

Saint Anne's Hospital said "the loss of life and the trauma experienced by residents, staff, and first responders are heartbreaking," confirming nine patients remained hospitalized.

Community organizations such as Samaritans Southcoast offered counseling and urged residents to "hold space in your heart for the families, seniors, first responders, and neighbors affected."

See also

• List of building or structure fires
• Fire safety
• Nursing home

External links

• Massachusetts Department of Fire Services – press release