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+ (including 5 firefighters)

The 2025 Fall River assisted-living fire—also known as the Gabriel House fire—was a five-alarm fire at the Gabriel House Assisted Living Facility in Fall River, Massachusetts, United States, on the night of July 13, 2025. The fire broke out around 9:30 p.m. and quickly spread through the three-story building, trapping numerous elderly residents who were seen hanging out of windows screaming for help when firefighters arrived.

Nine residents died and more than 30 people were injured, including five firefighters. Approximately 70 residents were inside the 100-unit facility when the fire started, many of whom were elderly, wheelchair-bound, or required oxygen assistance, complicating rescue efforts. The facility, which served low-income seniors, was equipped with sprinklers and smoke detectors. The fire marked one of the deadliest building fires in Massachusetts in decades, with the cause remaining under investigation by state and local authorities.

Background

Gabriel House, a privately operated non-profit facility, opened in 1999 and contains 100 single-bed studio units for older adults seeking assisted living care. The facility was established to serve "those seniors who cannot afford the high end of assisted living" and provided care for diabetic, incontinent, and non-ambulatory residents.

The three-storey wood-frame building is licensed by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs and was equipped with sprinklers and smoke detectors, according to the state fire marshal. The building was constructed around 1964 with a vinyl exterior and asphalt shingle roof. The facility, located at 261 Oliver Street in Fall River's South End, is situated approximately 150 metres (500 feet) from St. Anne's Hospital.

The facility is owned by Gabriel Care Inc., which is controlled by Dennis Etzkorn, who operates multiple healthcare facilities across Massachusetts. The property was purchased for $2,787,000 on December 23, 1998. In 2012, Etzkorn was indicted for alleged kickbacks totaling more than $1.2 million related to his adult foster care business, but charges were dropped in 2015 after judges ruled investigators obtained key records illegally.

Prior to the fire, approximately 70 residents lived at the facility, many of whom required significant assistance and included residents from Italian, Portuguese, and Polish communities. The facility's services included 24-hour staffing, electronic monitoring systems with video cameras and intercom, and a round-the-clock emergency response system.

The last official state inspection was conducted on October 15, 2024, with the inspection certificate scheduled to expire on October 15, 2025. According to a certified nursing assistant who worked at the facility, the elevator had been broken for about nine months and was only recently fixed.

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 significant fire at the building’s main entrance, along with heavy smoke throughout the facility. Residents were observed at upper-floor windows signaling for assistance.

Fall River Police Department officers were the first to arrive on scene. According to officials, officers entered the smoke-filled structure without protective equipment, forcibly opened doors, and assisted several non-ambulatory residents in evacuating. Approximately a dozen individuals were carried out manually 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, Tiverton (RI), and among other nearby jurisdictions.. The Red Cross and DFS Rehab Units also provide assistance during the incident.

Due to the number of residents, many of whom had mobility impairments, officials declared a mass-casualty incident. Emergency medical personnel established a triage area on Oliver Street. Patients were transported to St. Anne’s Hospital and Charlton Memorial Hospital, with two in critical condition later transferred to Rhode Island Hospital for trauma and burn care.

Fire crews used ground ladders to remove occupants from upper-floor windows. Chief Bacon estimated that at least twelve individuals were evacuated via windows after firefighters removed air conditioning units obstructing exits. Although fire damage was largely contained to one ground-floor wing, smoke spread throughout the building and complicated rescue efforts.

The fire was reported under control at approximately 22:40 EDT, less than one hour after initial dispatch. Search, rescue, and overhaul operations continued into the early morning hours of 14 July. In total, nine residents died and more than 30 people, including five 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 14, seven of the nine deceased have been publicly identified:

• 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

Two victims—a 70-year-old woman and a 77-year-old man—remained unidentified pending notification of next of kin.

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 other residents sustained injuries ranging from smoke inhalation to burns. One patient remained in critical condition as of July 14. 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 One trauma and burn care.

Five firefighters were injured while responding to the blaze. All of them sustained non‑life‑threatening injuries and were released from medical care.

Investigation

Investigators from the Fall River Fire Department, Massachusetts State Police (including the Fire Marshal’s Office), and the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office are continuing their inquiry into the fire’s origin and cause.

The investigation is examining the functionality of the building’s fire‑protection systems (including sprinklers and alarms), evacuation procedures, staffing levels and training, and any potential safety-code violations. Fire Chief Jeffrey Bacon has described it as a “very extensive investigation,” stating that officials are working to “put the scene back together and figure out what happened.”

As of mid‑July 14, officials have not released a preliminary cause. The Bristol County District Attorney’s office has noted that the fire “does not appear to be suspicious,” though officials have indicated that an electrical or mechanical malfunction is the most probable origin.

No timeline has been provided for the completion of the investigation. Authorities emphasize that full facts must be established before any definitive findings or recommendations are released.

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.

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.

On July 14, officials from the International Association of Fire Fighters criticized the Fall River Fire Department's staffing levels during a press conference. General President Edward Kelly stated that "had they been staffed properly up to national standards, there would have been eight more firefighters affecting rescues here last night" and that "lives would have been saved if the Fall River fire department were adequately staffed." Fall River Firefighters Union president Michael O'Regan said, "We did the best we could with what we had, and what we had was not enough." While Mayor Coogan disputed claims of inadequate personnel—saying staffing matched the fire chief’s requests—further scrutiny into staffing and resource readiness is continuing.

Reactions

Fall River Fire Chief Jeffrey Bacon described the fire as an "unfathomable tragedy" and praised emergency responders for their "dozens of rescues." He emphasized the lethality of smoke, noting that it kills more people than fire itself and urging residents to heed smoke alarms.

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

Governor Maura Healey characterized the fire as “horrifying,” expressing state readiness to assist and emphasizing that "a full investigation is already underway."

U.S. Senator Ed Markey described the incident as "an unimaginable tragedy" and offered thanks to first responders. U.S. Representative Jake Auchincloss and state legislator Steve Xiarhos similarly offered condolences and praised the bravery of emergency personnel.

Fall River Fire Chaplain Father Michael Racine described the fire as "the worst night of experiencing such loss" during his tenure.

Local and state officials also highlighted the need for reviewing staffing levels and safety protocols in assisted-living facilities to prevent similar incidents.

See also

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

External links

• Massachusetts Department of Fire Services – press release