Flames tear through assisted-living facility in Massachusetts, killing 9 and trapping residents

FALL RIVER, Mass. (AP) — Flames roared through an assisted-living facility in Massachusetts, killing nine people and trapping residents inside, including some who leaned out of windows and screamed for help, authorities said Monday. At least 30 people were hurt.

A firefighters union said inadequate staffing hindered the response to the blaze and contributed to the death toll, though the mayor criticized that characterization, and the fire chief suggested no number of first responders would have been enough. Meanwhile, several residents who praised firefighters and police for heroic rescue efforts said staff members did little to help.

“They didn’t knock on one door,” Robert Cabral said. “They just ran.”

Firefighters responded to the Gabriel House facility in Fall River, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Boston, at about 9:50 p.m. Sunday and were met with heavy smoke and flames at the front of the building. The Bristol County district attorney's office said in a statement that the fire's cause “does not appear to be suspicious at this time.” Its origin remains under investigation, authorities said.

Lorraine Ferrara, one of about 70 residents at the facility, awoke to a neighbor pounding on her door. She tried to make her way through the smoke in the hallway but retreated to her room as the sprinkler system shot hot water onto her back.

As her room filed with smoke, Ferrara opened her window and yelled. A firefighter broke the window and carried her down the ladder, she said.

“I really thought I was going to die,” she said. “I thought there was no way out.”

That fear mixed with anger as she watched two employees run from the building.

“They left us alone and ran out into the parking lot,” she said. “I was hanging out the window — ‘Help! Help!’ and they just kept running."

The dead ranged in age from 61 to 86, authorities said. The Bristol County district attorney's office identified seven of the deceased as Rui Albernaz, 64; Ronald Codega, 61; Margaret Duddy, 69; Robert King, 78; Kim Mackin, 71; Richard Rochon, 78; and Eleanor Willett, 86. The office said a 70-year-old woman and 77-year-old man were still pending notification of family.

Mackin's nephew, Austin Mackin, in an emailed statement from family members, described his aunt as “gifted beyond words."

“We will all miss Kimmy,” the statement read. “Beyond being exceptionally kind, few knew that she was a brilliant musician.”

She received a full ride scholarship to the Manhattan School of Music and after graduating, she toured around the world as first chair viola, the statement said. During the latter part of her career as an instrumentalist, she played in the Boston Philharmonic.

Gabriel House opened in 1999 and has 100 units, according to Massachusetts Executive Office of Aging and Independence. Its website promotes studio apartments “for those seniors who cannot afford the high end of assisted living” as well as group adult foster care within walking distance of shopping, restaurants and churches.

“If an emergency occurs, no matter the time, there will be someone ready to help,” the website states.

Dennis Etzkorn, the facility’s owner, declined to comment Monday, but officials said he was cooperating with what Fire Chief Jeffrey Bacon called “a very extensive investigation.”

District Attorney Tom Quinn called the fire a “terrible tragedy” in a statement that also commended first responders “bringing many of the residents to safety while being confronted with very difficult circumstances.”

About 50 firefighters responded to the scene, including 30 who were off-duty. Police also helped break down doors and carried about a dozen residents to safety. Five injured firefighters were released from the hospital Monday.

Officials with the firefighters union said the closing of fire companies and cutbacks on staff have been a problem for decades.

If staffing had been at the nationally recommended level, eight more firefighters would have been at the scene, said Edward Kelly, president of the International Association of Fire Fighters union.

Capt. Frank O'Reagan said there was no breathing equipment available when he arrived, so he started going door to door on the third floor without an air tank until the smoke got to him.

O'Reagan's brother and fellow firefighter Michael O'Reagan said he was shocked that 40 minutes after firefighters arrived, a large part of the building had not been searched.

“We did the best we could with what we had, and what we had was not enough,” said Michael O'Reagan, president of the Fall River firefighters union.

Mayor Paul Coogan said the fire department is staffed based on the recommendation from the fire chief.

“We staff the fire department at the number the chief asked for,” he said. “We’re not even 24 hours into this and that’s going to be a priority, not the families?”

Joe Alves, who lives several houses down from the facility, said he saw officials pulling bodies, people in wheelchairs and injured pets out of the building, with some pouring water bottles on burns.

“It was terrible,” he said, choking up slightly.

Clever Parra, who lives behind the facility, said he joined several other neighbors to help evacuate residents through the windows. The 40-year-old construction worker described going up a ladder and seeing a man inside attempting to open a window to escape the flames. After trying on his own, Parra turned to a firefighter to break the window.

The firefighter "sent the guy to me feet first and I take the guy out and bring him down,” he recalled.

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey offered state assistance to the city's mayor, condolences to the families of those who died and gratitude to first responders.

Brian Doherty, president of the Massachusetts Assisted Living Association, said state officials were working with long-term care facilities to find homes for displaced residents.

Paul Lanzikos, a former Massachusetts Secretary of Elder Affairs and co-founder of the advocacy group Dignity Alliance, said the group was concerned by what has been reported about the lack of fire drills, low number of staff for a highly dependent population and safety issues such as a broken elevator and air conditioners in the windows.

“It’s a terrible tragedy that should have never happened,” Lanzikos said.

With about 94,000 residents, Fall River is the state's 10th-largest city and one of its poorest.

The blue-collar community in southern Massachusetts was once a global center for textile manufacturing, but it suffered population loss and economic hardship as the industry declined. Recent decades have seen some new development and investment, but the city has also been rocked by scandal. Former Mayor Jasiel Correia was convicted in a corruption trial and sentenced to six years in prison in 2021.

Survivors of the fire were ushered to a temporary housing center about half a mile (0.8 kilometers) from their former home, many of them in shock after losing most of their belongings.

Some broke down in tears, others threw out names — desperate to know who was still alive. Staffers handed out sandwiches, beverages and even canes for those who did not have time to grab their medical equipment in the smoke and flames.

Neal Beck, who had lived at Gabriel House for six years, said he was rescued by ladder from his bathroom window.

“I've been homeless before," Beck said. "I guess I'll be homeless again.”

Head cook Paul Ferreira was off the clock Sunday night but rushed to the scene and watched as bodies were removed from the building. He grew emotional describing the community of people who have long struggled to find affordable housing.

“Not knowing it was the last time I was cooking for them, it’s sad. They become part of your family,” Ferreira said. “Some of these people have no family members. Where are they going to go now?"

Ramer reported from Concord, New Hampshire. Whittle reported from Scarborough, Maine. Associated Press writers Kathy McCormack in Concord and Matt O'Brien and Michelle Smith in Providence, Rhode Island, contributed to this report.

Flowers rest near an entrance to the Gabriel House assisted living facility, Monday, July 14, 2025, following a fire that started late Sunday and resulted in multiple fatalities, in Fall River, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

A unidentified man, right, appears emotional while embracing a resident of the Gabriel House assisted living facility, left, in Fall River, Mass., outside a temporary shelter, Monday, July 14, 2025, in Fall River, following a fire at the Gabriel House that started late Sunday and resulted in multiple fatalities. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Donna Murphy, a resident at the Gabriel House assisted living facility, in Fall River, Mass., speaks with members of the media outside a temporary shelter, Monday, July 14, 2025, in Fall River, Mass., following a fire at the Gabriel House that started late Sunday and resulted in multiple fatalities. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Michael Pimentel, center, a resident at the Gabriel House assisted living facility, in Fall River, Mass., receives assistance from an emergency medical worker, right, outside a temporary shelter, Monday, July 14, 2025, in Fall River, following a fire that started late Sunday. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

An investigator takes measurements Monday, July 14, 2025, near an entrance to the Gabriel House assisted living facility following a fire that started late Sunday, in Fall River, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey, center, and Fall River Mayor Paul Coogan, left, speak with a member of law enforcement, right, near the Gabriel House assisted living facility, Monday, July 14, 2025, following a fire that started late Sunday, in Fall River, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

An investigator takes measurements Monday, July 14, 2025, near an entrance to the Gabriel House assisted living facility following a fire that started late Sunday, in Fall River, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Investigators, front, remove boxes containing patient medications from the Gabriel House assisted living facility, behind, following a fire that resulted in multiple fatalities, in Fall River, Mass., Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey approaches a news conference to face reporters Monday, July 14, 2025, near the Gabriel House assisted living facility, behind, following a fire that started late Sunday in Fall River, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

A law enforcement official removes boxes containing patient medications from the Gabriel House assisted living facility following a fire that resulted in multiple fatalities, in Fall River, Mass., Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Fall River Mayor Paul Coogan, left, faces reporters near the Gabriel House assisted living facility, behind, Monday, July 14, 2025, following a fire at the facility that started late Sunday, in Fall River, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

An investigator takes measurements Monday, July 14, 2025, near an entrance to the Gabriel House assisted living facility following a fire that started late Sunday in Fall River, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Dennis Etzkorn, owner of Gabriel House, right, visits the site in the aftermath of a fire alongside Fall River Fire Chief Jeffrey Bacon, left, Monday, July 14 in Fall River, Mass, (Michael Casey)

This image taken from video provided by WLNE-TV shows authorities working on the scene of a fire at an assisted living facility in Fall River, Mass., Sunday, July 13, 2025. (WLNE-TV via AP)

This image taken from video provided by WLNE-TV shows damage from a fire at an assisted living facility in Fall River, Mass., Sunday, July 13, 2025. (WLNE-TV via AP)

This image taken from video provided by WLNE-TV shows a firefighter working on the aftermath of a fire at an assisted living facility in Fall River, Mass., Sunday, July 13, 2025. (WLNE-TV via AP)

CORRECTS TO FALL RIVER NOT FALLS Fall River Fire Chief Jeffrey Bacon, right, speaks with another official after a fire the Gabriel House assisted living facility in Fall River, Mass., Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Casey)

CORRECTS TO FALL RIVER NOT FALLS The Gabriel House assisted living facility is shown after a fire in Fall River, Mass., Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Casey)

Falls River Fire Chief Jeffrey Bacon, right, speaks with another official after a fire the Gabriel House assisted living facility in Falls River, Mass., Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Casey)

The Gabriel House assisted living facility is shown after a fire in Falls River, Mass., Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Casey)

SAN FRANCISCO & JACKSONVILLE, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan 12, 2026--

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Abridge was founded in 2018 to power deeper understanding in healthcare. Abridge is now trusted by more than 200 of the largest and most complex health systems in the U.S. The enterprise-grade AI platform transforms medical conversations into clinically useful and billable documentation at the point of care, reducing administrative burden and clinician burnout while improving patient experience. With deep EHR integration, support for 28+ languages, and 50+ specialties, Abridge is used across a wide range of care settings, including outpatient, emergency department, and inpatient.

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Abridge and Availity Collaborate to Redefine Payer-Provider Synergy at the Point of Conversation

Abridge and Availity Collaborate to Redefine Payer-Provider Synergy at the Point of Conversation