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 at windows yelling 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 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, 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. Two victims—a 70-year-old woman and a 77-year-old man—remained unidentified pending notification of next of kin. The identified are listed below:

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

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, Fall River Police, Massachusetts State Police (including the State Fire Marshal's Office), and the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office continue working to determine the fire's origin and cause. Jake Wark, spokesperson for the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services, reported that teams have made “significant progress” by examining the scene, reviewing video footage, and conducting witness interviews. He reiterated that the blaze “does not appear to be suspicious,” though officials have not yet pinpointed a definitive cause.

While investigators continue analyzing potential sources—such as electrical faults or mechanical failures—they're also scrutinizing the functionality of fire‑protection systems (sprinklers, smoke alarms), evacuation procedures, and staffing adequacy in the days leading up to the fire.

In parallel, Fall River building inspectors and state fire marshals are conducting structural assessments to determine whether the damaged facility must be declared unsafe or scheduled for demolition once forensic evaluations conclude.

No timeline has been given for completing the investigation. Officials emphasize that once all physical evidence, testimonial information, and technical data are compiled, a final report will be issued to establish “full facts” before making any recommendations or confirming cause.

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."

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.

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.”

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.”

See also

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

External links

• Massachusetts Department of Fire Services – press release