At least nine people have died and more have been injured following a fire at an assisted living facility in Massachusetts.
On Sunday, July 13, at approximately 9:40 p.m. local time, the Fall River Police Department and the Fall River Fire Department responded to reports of a blaze at the Gabriel House Assisted Living Facility on Oliver Street in the city, per a statement shared by police on Facebook.
“Without hesitation, officers entered the smoke-filled facility, breaking down doors and escorting residents to safety,” police reported, adding, “Approximately a dozen non-ambulatory residents were physically carried out by our officers.”
“About 50 firefighters” responded to the five-alarm fire, with more than half of them being off duty, according to a statement provided by the Fall River Fire Department.
The assisted living facility housed approximately 70, the fire department reported. Nine people died with “several” being “declared deceased at the scene.” More were injured, and another was left in critical condition.
Five of the people who received treatment were firefighters, though their injuries were described as “not life-threatening.”
“This is an unfathomable tragedy for the families involved and the Fall River community,” Fall River Fire Chief Jeffrey Bacon said in a release. “On behalf of the Fall River Fire Department, I want to express our heartfelt condolences to the loved ones who are grieving this morning.”
Police noted that the response to the tragedy was a testament to the community, saying that medical staff from the nearby St. Anne’s Hospital “ran to the scene to assist with patient transport and care.”
“Though the scene was chaotic, the coordination, courage, and compassion displayed by all agencies involved was nothing short of extraordinary,” the department wrote in their statement.
An investigation into the cause of the fire is still ongoing. It will be handled by the local police and fire departments in collaboration with State Police from the State Fire Marshal’s office and additional police from the Bristol County District Attorney’s office.
