Flames broke out around 9:30 p.m. Sunday at the facility on Oliver Street. When firefighters arrived, they found heavy flames and smoke coming through the main entrance and several people hanging out of the windows, waiting to be rescued, according to Fall River Fire Chief Jeffrey Bacon.
"There were some that perished in the building and some perished after being transported," Bacon said.
There's no word yet on how or where the fire started. About 50 firefighters were called in, including about 30 who were off-duty, State Fire Marshal Jon Davine said. Bacon said "every police officer in the city was here too."
Fall River Mayor Paul Coogan said there were sprinklers in the building. Bacon told reporters the fire damage was contained to one wing but there is smoke damage throughout the three-story home. The alarms could be heard in the background during the Monday morning news conference, but Bacon did not know if they were working at the time of the fire.
Bacon said there were several oxygen tanks in the facility, but that they were "irrelevant to really the fire at this time."
"An unfathomable tragedy for the families"
Families who had loved ones at the home can get more information at the chapel at St. Anne's Hospital, which is across the street from the assisted living center. They can also call 508-674-5741. The fire chief said all medications in the facility were being removed Monday morning.
The Gabriel House has 100 single-bed units, according to its website and Mass.gov. The state fire marshal said about 70 people were living at the home before the fire.
The Gabriel House assisted living facility in Fall River, Mass., on Monday, July 14, 2025, hours after the deadly fire there. Michael Casey / AP"Nobody is programmed to deal with this"
"Everyone thinks firefighters are heroes and they're just designed to be able to deal with anything, but that's not the case. The mental health aspect of this, for not just for the firefighters, the police officers, the EMTs and the families that were here. I'm a strong advocate for mental health support and I would say that for anybody that was at this scene last night, not just firefighters, police officers, EMS, to seek the help that you need to deal with the tragic situation like this. Nobody is programmed to deal with this," Bacon said.
Fall River is about 50 miles south of Boston and 20 miles southeast of Providence, Rhode Island.
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