Fire at assisted-living facility 'was destined to kill 50-plus people': Chief
"Unfortunately, nine were not able to be saved. But that number should have been four to five times that," Fall River Fire Chief Jeffrey Bacon said at a news conference on Wednesday, praising the "heroic" first responders' quick actions.
Firefighters who rushed to the five-alarm blaze at the Gabriel House on Sunday night have described seeing faces in windows and "having to decide who they needed to rescue," Bacon said, overcome with emotion.
MORE: Family of woman who survived assisted-living facility fire: 'I'm sure she felt so helpless'
One responder pushed through the heavy, black smoke inside the building to break into rooms and pull out nonambulatory residents, he said.
A captain at the scene found it "eerily quiet" when he responded to the front door, where flames were blowing out, the chief said.
"He knocked down the fire very quickly, to the point that countless lives were saved," Bacon said.
MORE: 9 dead, dozens hurt in fire at assisted-living facility in Fall River, Massachusetts: Officials
Nine residents were killed and dozens were hurt at the Gabriel House, which was home to about 70 people.
Two people remained in critical condition on Wednesday, Bacon said.
MORE: Assisted-living facility where 9 died in fire was up for recertification this year: Officials
The cause of the fire is under investigation. The Bristol County District Attorney's office said it "does not appear to be suspicious."
Bacon noted the fire started in a room on the second floor.
The DA's office identified the residents 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 and 77-year-old Joseph Wilansky. The name of the ninth victim, a 70-year-old woman, has not been released.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
5 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Police arrest man wanted on multiple warrants in Vermont and New Hampshire
A man who had been on the run for days was arrested by Vermont State Police on Saturday.
Yahoo
5 minutes ago
- Yahoo
'Crisis of trust': Epstein furore to hurt Republicans
The uproar over disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein is undermining public trust in the Trump administration, as well as Republican hopes of retaining control of Congress in the 2026 mid-term elections, two congressmen say. Republican Representative Thomas Massie and Democratic Representative Ro Khanna, who want the House of Representatives to vote on their bipartisan resolution requiring full release of the government's Epstein files, said the lack of transparency is reinforcing public perceptions that the rich and powerful live beyond the reach of the judicial system. "This is going to hurt Republicans in the mid-terms. The voters will be apathetic if we don't hold the rich and powerful accountable," Massie, a hardline conservative from Kentucky, told NBC's Meet the Press program. Republicans hope to add to their current 219-212 House majority - with four seats currently vacant - and 53-47 Senate majority in November 2026, although the US political cycle traditionally punishes the party of the sitting president during midterm elections. The Washington Post reported that Trump was increasingly frustrated with his administration's handling of the furore around Epstein. Even so, the president was hesitant to make personnel changes to avoid creating a "bigger spectacle" as his top officials underestimated the outrage from Trump's own base over the issue, the newspaper reported, citing unnamed sources. Khanna said Attorney General Pam Bondi triggered "a crisis of trust" by saying there was no list of Epstein clients after previously implying that one existed. The change in position unleashed a tsunami of calls for her resignation from Trump's MAGA base. "This is about trust in government," the California Democrat told Meet the Press. "This is about being a reform agent of transparency." President Donald Trump has been frustrated by continued questions about his administration's handling of investigative files related to Epstein's criminal charges and 2019 death by suicide in prison. Massie and Khanna believe they can win enough support from fellow lawmakers to force a vote on their resolution when Congress returns from its summer recess in September. But they face opposition from Republican leaders including House Speaker Mike Johnson, who sent lawmakers home a day early to stymie Democratic efforts to force a vote before the break. Johnson, who also appeared on NBC's Meet the Press, said he favours a non-binding alternative resolution that calls for release of "credible" evidence, but which he said would better protect victims including minors. "The Massie and Khanna discharge petition is reckless in the way that it is drafted and presented," Johnson said. "It does not adequately include those protections." Massie dismissed Johnson's claim as "a straw man" excuse. "Ro and I carefully crafted this legislation so that the victims' names will be redacted," he said. "They're hiding behind that." Trump has tried and failed so far to distract attention from the Epstein controversy six months into his second term. On Saturday, Trump repeated his claims without evidence that 2024 Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris and other Democrats should be prosecuted over payment for endorsements from celebrities including Oprah Winfrey, Beyonce and the Reverend Al Sharpton. Last week he accused former president Barack Obama of "treason" over how his administration treated intelligence about Russian interference in US elections nine years ago, drawing a rebuke from an Obama spokesperson. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028


CNN
6 minutes ago
- CNN
Police searching for suspect in the killings of a couple found dead at an Arkansas park
Police are searching for an unknown suspect in the killings of Clinton David Brink, 43, and Cristen Amanda Brink, 41, according to a release from Arkansas State Police Sunday. The Brinks were hiking in the Devil's Den State Park with their daughters, ages 7 and 9, who were not injured in the attack. The girls are safe with family members, police said. The park is in a remote and rural area, where the terrain is 'rugged, vegetation is thick and there is no cellphone service,' police said. Police were notified of the suspected double homicide around 2:40 p.m. Saturday. The suspect is described as a White male of medium build. Investigators said they believed he was wearing a long-sleeved shirt with sleeves rolled up, dark pants, a dark ballcap, sunglasses and fingerless gloves. He was carrying a black backpack and seen driving towards the park exit in a black four-door sedan that may have been a Mazda with its license plate covered by tape, police said. The vehicle may have been travelling on State Highway 170 or State Highway 220 near the park. The area has been cordoned off and police have asked visitors to the park to share any images they might have of the suspect from the park Saturday. Local residents have also been asked to check security and game camera footage. Police have increased law enforcement presence at state parks, said Shea Lewis, secretary of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism in the release. 'We are deeply saddened by the tragic events that occurred at Devil's Den State Park. Our hearts are with the victims' loved ones during this incredibly difficult time. The safety of our visitors and staff is our highest priority, and we are working closely with Arkansas State Police and various law enforcement officials as the investigation continues,' the statement read. The Brinks family had recently moved to Prairie Grove from another state, police added.