Context:

A devastating fire at Gabriel House, an assisted living facility in Fall River, Massachusetts, resulted in the deaths of nine residents and left one person in critical condition. The blaze, which erupted late Sunday night, prompted a rapid response from the Fall River Fire Department, who faced thick smoke and flames while evacuating residents. Despite the building having fire alarms and sprinklers, the fire was contained to one wing, causing significant smoke damage. Over 30 residents were hospitalized, and all 70 residents were displaced due to the incident. Emergency workers, including the Fall River Police Department, swiftly rescued over a dozen residents, while five firefighters sustained minor injuries during the rescue operations.

Dive Deeper:

• The fire at Gabriel House broke out on Sunday night, resulting in nine fatalities and leaving one individual critically injured. Emergency services responded promptly to the scene, encountering challenging conditions as they worked to evacuate residents and extinguish the flames.

• Firefighters faced thick smoke and flames, with residents screaming for help from windows, as they executed a chaotic and complex rescue operation. More than 30 residents were taken to the hospital, with all occupants eventually evacuated from the facility.

• The building's fire alarms and sprinklers were activated, but officials are still investigating whether all the warning systems functioned properly. The fire was primarily contained to one wing of the building, and the majority of the damage was due to smoke.

• Approximately 50 firefighters, including every on-duty firefighter in Fall River, were involved in battling the fire. The initial efforts by emergency workers were praised, as they managed to rescue over 12 residents who were unable to evacuate on their own.

• In the aftermath, the city established a shelter for the displaced residents, and five firefighters were treated for minor injuries but released by Monday morning. Mayor Paul Coogan commended the swift and collaborative response of the city's emergency services, noting that the situation could have been significantly worse.