Fall River Fire Chief Provides Update on Deadly Assisted Living Blaze: Victims Identified, Survivors Relocated Amid Ongoing Investigation

FALL RIVER ─ Fall River Fire Chief Jeffrey Bacon provided a throng of media with an update Tuesday regarding the tragic fire that claimed the life of 9 residents of the Gabriel Assisted Living and injured at least three dozen elderly living in the Oliver Street facility.  

The information included the last remaining seven or eight residents rescued from the fire that started around 9:30 p.m. on Sunday would be placed in local nursing facilities in the area.

Bacon said the investigation into what started the fire is still underway and conducted by FRFD fire investigators, the state fire marshal’s office and the Bristol County District Attorney.

Bacon said the state fire marshal’s office will be charged with disseminating information regarding the investigation.

A multitude of media outlets from across the country, as well as the Fall River Reporter, were required by the city to formally request city building inspection and fire inspection history on the property at 261 Oliver Street. The public records had not yet been released by city corporation counsel Alan Rumsey as of Tuesday afternoon.

Bacon said his fire prevention bureau has provided three years of records on the Oliver Street assisted living property.

The building is owned by Medford resident Dennis Etzkorn and his company Gabriel Care Inc. He was cooperating with authorities on Monday, although he declined to answer questions from a local reporter about conditions at Gabriel House.

According to property records, the property once operated as an inn, was built in 1964 and contains 88 units.

City and non-profits stepping up

Over 30 residents that were not injured, but many appearing traumatized, were housed at Fall River’s Timao Center, an overflow homeless shelter on Bay Street.

Mayor Paul Coogan, who has frequently visited the fire scene over the past few days, stopped briefly at the assisted living site Tuesday morning. The mayor said that the evening before, about 20 residents were transported by the city’s trolley to a nursing facility.

Of the remaining residents, “we have placements for them, but this not over until they are all there,” said Coogan.

Monday morning residents and their families sat outside the Timeo Center, speaking on the terror the residents faced as many were trapped in their rooms as thick, black smoke drove many black into their residences.

One woman described not believing help would arrive and that she would die.

One man, blind and partially paralyzed, along with his family, described jumping from a third-story window, with civilians below waiting below with a blanket to break his fall.

But more than 70 people, many immobile in wheelchairs, were rescued by over 50 city firefighters, also aided by FRPD officers, EMS and by-standers. 

On Tuesday morning, there was light activity at the Timeo Center, with media turned away from speaking with the remaining displaced residents.

City EMTs could be seen entering and exiting the shelter carrying medical equipment.

Bacon said he does not have additional information on the approximately 30 people who suffered injuries and were transported to local hospitals, including Rhode Island Hospital which has a trauma unit.

“But I want everybody to rest assure that they will not be released from the hospital unless they are placed in proper facilities with proper care,” said Bacon.

Coogan told a reporter Tuesday that he planned to reach out to the hospitalized victims and their families.

Multiple organizations and businesses have stepped up to raise funds and belongings to assist the fire victims and their families.

“There’s been a lot of generosity and a lot of love being shared with the people of Fall River and the people who suffered so much the other night,” said Bacon.

Bacon said the public can access information on the fundraising efforts on the city’s Facebook page “Fall River Government.”

Identities of those who perished released

The Bristol County identified seven of the nine victims killed as: 64-year-old Rui Albernaz, 61-year-old Ronald Codega, 69-year-old Margaret Duddy, 78-year-old Robert King, 71-year-old Kim Mackin, 78-year-old Richard Rochon, 86-year-old Eleanor Willett.

The names of the other two victims — a 70-year-old woman and a 77-year-old man — have not been released as of Tuesday afternoon.