Victims are identified in deadly Massachusetts fire that killed nine residents

Independent

5 days ago

Officials have begun to identify the nine people killed in a fire that broke out at a Massachusetts assisted living facility over the weekend.
The fire engulfed the Gabriel House Assisted Living Facility on Sunday night in Fall River, near the Massachusetts-Rhode Island border. Nine people died and about 30 people were injured, including five firefighters.
Bristol County District Attorney's Office released the identities of seven people killed at the facility, which housed 69 residents. Two victims — a 70-year-old woman and a 77-year-old man — have yet to be identified.
The victims include 61-year-old Ronald Codega; 64-year-old Rui Albernaz; 69-year-old Margaret Duddy; 71-year-old Kim Mackin; 78-year-old Robert King; 78-year-old Richard Rochon; and 86-year-old Eleanor Willett.
The five firefighters were hospitalized with minor injuries and have since been discharged, NBC Boston reports. One injured resident was still in critical condition as of Monday night, officials said.
Willett's granddaughter, Holly Mallowes, described the 86-year-old as 'the rock of the family.'
'We're praying she went peacefully from the smoke,' she told NBC Boston. 'That's weighing on us. Was there any suffering?'
Rochon's niece, Breonna Cestodio, said the 78-year-old was a veteran who fought in Vietnam.
"He was a sharpshooter in the Army," Cestodio told NBC Boston. "He loved getting visits from his niece and nephew."
Mackin's family told the Associated Press she was a talented musician who earned a full-ride scholarship to the Manhattan School of Music and toured the world after graduation as a first-chair viola player. She also played in the Boston Philharmonic.
'We will all miss Kimmy,' her nephew, Austin Mackin, said. 'Beyond being exceptionally kind, few knew that she was a brilliant musician.'
Officials are investigating the cause of the fire but the district attorney's office says it 'does not appear to be suspicious.'
The facility has been previously cited for failing to immediately report more than two dozen health and safety incidents. The state last inspected the facility in 2023, citing it for seven issues, four of which were repeat problems, AP reports. The facility submitted a corrective action plan and was re-certified in November.
The Independent has contacted Gabriel House Assisted Living Facility for comment.
The scene on Sunday night was gruesome. Fall River Fire Captain Frank O'Reagan told The Boston Globe he entered the facility without an air tank after discovering people were still trapped on the third floor. When he walked in, O'Reagan said he saw several bodies.
Fall River Fire Chief Jeffrey Bacon said his crews could hear people crying out for help when they arrived, according to the Globe.
'When they pulled up, obviously our first priority is life safety,' Bacon said. 'So when you pull up to a building and the first thing you see is the fire - but then you seen multiple that are asking to be helped and begging to be helped out the windows. That's where it complicates the scene. It makes everything more difficult.'
The fire department called in all firefighters, including 30 people who were off-duty, NBC Boston reports.
Resident Neal Beck, 78, told the Globe he was considering jumping out of a window to get to safety. He was ultimately rescued out of a third-floor window.
'I was just hoping I was going to make it,' Beck said.
Fall River Mayor Paul Coogan said this fire was an unprecedented tragedy for the community.
'I don't think we've ever faced something like this,' Coogan said.
Facility owner Dennis Etzkorn said he's 'devastated' by the fire.
'Our thoughts are with every one of our residents, their families, our staff, and the brave first responders,' Etzkorn said in a statement on Monday. 'I am grateful for the support the city of Fall River has shown to everyone affected by this tragedy.'
'We will continue to cooperate with the authorities and provide them with any information they may need throughout the investigative process regarding the cause and origin of this fire,' he added.