Survivors of the Fall River assisted living fire shared emotional accounts of their escape. The fire at Gabriel House on Oliver Street claimed nine lives. Survivors criticized both staff and firefighters for their slow reaction.
The fire started late at the assisted living facility. Authorities identified seven victims, including Rui Albernaz, Ronald Codega, and Margaret Duddy. They withheld the names of two others until families received notifications.
Robert Cabral, who has lived at the facility for six years, expressed relief at surviving. He described the chaos: “People ran everywhere, some tried to help.” Loraine Ferrara, another resident, struggled to find an exit. Smoke and the sprinkler system pushed her back into her room. “I couldn’t reach the exit,” she said. She called out for help until a firefighter rescued her by ladder.
Albert Almanza, who uses an oxygen tank, recalled his near-fatal experience. He opened his door to a wall of smoke and feared the worst. Fortunately, a police officer helped him escape.
Meanwhile, firefighters and staff faced harsh criticism. The local firefighters’ union said the department lacked enough personnel during the incident. Edward Kelly, head of the International Association of Firefighters, said, “Eight more firefighters could have saved lives if staffing met national standards.” Michael O’Regan, president of the Fall River Firefighters Union, added, “We did our best, but we lacked enough resources.”
Residents also accused the facility’s staff of poor response. Cabral claimed, “They didn’t check any doors and just ran outside. A resident had to call 911.” Gabriel House’s owner, Dennis Etzkorn, expressed devastation and promised to cooperate fully with investigators.
The district attorney believes the fire started accidentally. Fall River Mayor Paul Coogan confirmed the building had sprinklers but did not clarify if they worked properly.
As families cope with loss, a GoFundMe campaign started to support victims’ relatives. The Fall River assisted living fire left a community grieving while raising questions about emergency preparedness.
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