Gabriel House Fire Brought Out the Best and Worst of Fall River

Gabriel is a male given name of Hebrew origin meaning "God is my strength." In Islam, Gabriel is an archangel, known as the "messenger of God." Christians know Gabriel for announcing the births of Jesus and John the Baptist.

For residents of Fall River, Massachusetts, the name Gabriel will forever be associated with a mass casualty incident, the worst of its kind in Massachusetts in four decades, at an assisted living facility for the destitute and disabled that was the site of 10 deaths.

A five-alarm fire visited Gabriel House of Fall River under the cover of darkness on Sunday, July 13, 2025, while most of the 70 residents were asleep or at least hunkered down for the night.

READ MORE: Gabriel House Had Past Safety Violations

The fast-burning fire emitted thick clouds of dark, blinding smoke that quickly overtook many residents, in some cases, shielding their view of safe passage, leaving them to perish in the inferno.

Heroic Response from First Responders

There was no shortage of heroes that Sunday night as police, fire and EMS crews raced to the scene, some without protective equipment and breathing apparatus to perform heroic acts of bravery, only to dismiss them as business as usual.

Fall River's frontline is among the best in the business. That was proven again that Sunday night in July.

Who’s to Blame for the Staffing Issues?

But within 24 hours, before the smoke entirely cleared, arrangements were made for the deceased, and all of the surviving victims found new homes, fingers of blame were being pointed.

READ MORE: Questions Emerge After Devastating Fall River Fire

By 3 p.m. on Monday, the local and national firefighters' union representatives were raging at the city administration for what they said were unsafe staffing levels, which they say resulted in lost lives. Mayor Paul Coogan's administration then blamed the staff shortages on the fire chief.

A City Mourns and Looks for Answers

I was heartbroken on Monday to learn of the significant loss of life at Gabriel House of Fall River, and later that day, to witness the behavior of the very people whose heroism and selflessness kept an unthinkable tragedy from being even worse.

Perhaps the Fall River Fire Department faces staffing and funding issues. It would not be the first time. But couldn't there be a full day to honor the dead before the blood-letting began?