Fall River, MA, Fire Department Releases Report on Deadly Assisted Living Facility Fire
Hadley Barndollar
masslive.com
(TNS)
When Fall River firefighters descended on the Gabriel House on a cool but humid summer night, they were met with a slew of unique challenges as fire conditions rapidly deteriorated across the assisted living facility.
According to a new report released Monday by the Fall River Fire Department, the building didn’t have any fire doors in its hallways, “allowing smoke and heat to spread freely throughout hallways and common areas.”
Being in the thick of summer, window air conditioners had been installed in every resident’s room, and in most cases, they were secured with plywood to seal gaps. Those circumstances blocked primary rescue routes.
“In many cases, the plywood was fastened with screws to prevent the AC from falling out,” the report said. “Many residents had to be removed through the smaller bathroom windows, further complicating rescue operations and increasing risk for both residents and firefighters.”
The single elevator lobby was also involved in the fire, cutting off any potential access for rescues.
“The building construction, layout, and unique modifications presented significant challenges for fire suppression, rescue, and occupant evacuation,” the report reads.
Monday’s 27-page report represents an internal review of the Fall River Fire Department’s response to the July 13 fire that killed 10 people and injured dozens more. The report — which hails a heroic response by fire, police and EMS personnel to save lives — also details staffing levels and scene command and communication that night.
It provides recommendations to improve firefighter safety and operating efficiency in the future, and urges legislative and code changes relative to assisted living facilities and other high-risk occupancies.
The fire department is calling for annual, coordinated fire drills at facilities as such involving staff, residents and fire crews. The drills should test evacuation routes, shelter-in-place procedures and overall readiness, they said, and fire personnel should map potential rescue challenges. The department proposes to create a “high-risk facility team” to coordinate these changes in the city.
In the immediate aftermath of the fire in July, several Gabriel House residents and staff members told reporters they didn’t recall ever participating in a fire drill or seeing an emergency preparedness plan.
Main investigation remains ongoing
Fall River’s report is separate from the ongoing investigation into the fire by the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office and Department of Fire Services, which will determine the building’s life safety code compliance, as well as any post-fire civil or criminal actions.
Prior reporting by MassLive revealed that the sprinkler in the second-story room where the fire started did not go off that night, and the sprinkler system overall was missing a critical five-year internal inspection. In addition, the building’s sprinkler heads were recalled decades ago and never replaced, sources with knowledge of the investigation have told MassLive.
Gabriel House owner Dennis Etzkorn has said the sprinkler system was found to be in working order just five days prior to the fire. He is cooperating with authorities and has handed over all relevant records and documentation, he said previously.
Monday’s report doesn’t address anything related to the fire department’s annual inspections of Gabriel House. According to department records, the building passed fire safety inspections over the last six years at least.
Fire Chief Jeffrey Bacon has previously said he can’t answer questions about the specifics of their inspection reports because of the ongoing investigation.
‘No visible evacuation’: More details from report
According to Monday’s report, when firefighters first arrived at Gabriel House, they immediately saw heavy fire at the main entrance at the second floor, but the scene “was unusually quiet, with no visible evacuation underway.”
An “all hands” rescue operation was called, and of the 53 residents rescued, 27 were brought down via ground ladders. An estimated 26 residents were carried out of the building.
Nine people were killed that night and a tenth victim died later in the week at a hospital.
The report labeled Gabriel House an “oxygen-enriched environment” because of the presence of medical oxygen in the room of origin and other rooms throughout the facility. It was identified as a significant factor in the rapid growth and spread of the fire — which officials have said is of an undetermined cause, but accidental.
Read the full report here:
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