Nine people died and one is in critical condition after a fire tore through an assisted living facility in Fall River, Massachusetts. The blaze broke out at the Gabriel House Assisted Living Residence on Oliver Street around 9:30 p.m. Sunday.
Fall River Fire Chief Jeffrey Bacon confirmed the fatalities, adding that 30 people were taken to hospitals. Dozens more were rescued by firefighters using ladders, with many victims screaming and begging for help as crews entered the burning building.
A spokesperson for Charlton Memorial Hospital stated that at least 28 patients were treated there, while others were sent to the Timao Community Center, which is serving as a temporary shelter.
Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III announced that the cause of the fire is under investigation, but it is not considered suspicious. The Fall River Fire Department, Fall River police, state police assigned to the State Fire Marshal’s Office, and the Bristol District Attorney’s Office are all involved in determining the origin and cause of the fire.
