Authorities reported that a fire at an assisted-living center in the Boston area on Sunday night resulted in the deaths of at least nine people and left more than 30 others injured.
The blaze erupted around 9:30 PM on Sunday (0130 GMT Monday) at the Gabriel House Assisted Living Facility in Fall River, Massachusetts, which housed approximately 70 residents. Jake Wark, a spokesperson for the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services, confirmed these details on Monday.
Wark stated that about 50 firefighters responded to the incident in Fall River, located approximately 60 miles south of Boston.
The city has established a temporary shelter for the residents who survived the fire.
Firefighters successfully rescued numerous occupants from the facility, which is designed to enable older individuals to live independently with staff support. Several residents were pronounced dead at the scene, while many others were transported to hospitals, with one person reportedly in critical condition.
Fall River Fire Chief Jeffrey Bacon informed the media on Monday that some individuals were seen hanging from windows upon the firefighters’ arrival, as reported by the Boston Globe.
“This is an unfathomable tragedy for the families involved and the Fall River community,” Bacon stated, assuring reporters that the cause of the fire is currently under investigation.
Wark added that five firefighters sustained injuries that were not life-threatening during the operation.
