Fall River Fire Claims Nine Lives as Assisted Living Residents Recall Harrowing Escape
A devastating fire broke out at the Gabriel House assisted living facility in Fall River, Massachusetts, late on Sunday, July 14, killing nine residents and injuring dozens more. Survivors and first responders described a night of terror, confusion, and courageous rescue efforts as smoke rapidly filled the building and flames threatened to trap many inside.
The blaze erupted around late evening on July 14 at the facility on Oliver Street, prompting an urgent response from Fall River firefighters and police officers, who rushed inside to evacuate residents—many of whom were elderly or had limited mobility.
Fall River Fire Chief Jeffrey Bacon confirmed that over 30 residents were taken to hospitals, while five firefighters suffered minor injuries during the effort. The nine individuals who died have not yet been publicly identified.
“Nobody left with anything,” said Kerry Leckey, a resident who uses a wheelchair. “I was lucky to have this, but everybody else’s medication, money—everything is gone. All of it.”
Albert Almanza, another resident, recalled the moment he realized something was wrong. He had just gone to bed when he heard emergency sirens and looked out the window to see ambulances and fire trucks lining the street.
“I opened my room door, and all the smoke from the hall hit me in the face. I just stood there choking,” Almanza said. “I thought it was going to be the end.” A police officer located him and guided him through the smoke-filled corridor and down the stairs to safety.
Almanza, who had already endured the deaths of both his daughters, was overcome with grief. “My whole family’s gone, and I’m alone,” he said. “That made it even worse. I didn’t know what I was going to do.”
On the second floor, Lorraine Ferrara faced a similarly terrifying ordeal. She said two of her closest friends perished in the fire.
“I opened the door and the smoke just hit me,” Ferrara said. “It filled my whole room and the bathroom. I tried to get out, but I couldn’t reach the exit door.”
Soaked from the sprinkler system and nearly overcome by smoke, Ferrara retreated to her bathroom and called for help out the window. “I opened the window and yelled, ‘Help! Help! Help!’” she recalled. A firefighter climbed up a ladder, smashed the window, and carried her down to safety.
“I thought I was going to die. I thought this was it. It’s all over for me,” she said. “I’ll never forget this nightmare. Never.”
Ferrara had been living at Gabriel House for eight months. The memories of her friends telling her daily that they loved her will stay with her forever. “They told me every day that they loved me. And I told them I loved them.”
The cause of the fire is still under active investigation, and officials have yet to confirm how it started. Local agencies and community members have rallied around survivors, offering support to those who lost homes, possessions, and loved ones in the blaze.