Gabriel House owner responds to latest lawsuit after assisted living facility fire

FALL RIVER, Mass. (WLNE) — The owner of the Gabriel House assisted living facility responded to the latest lawsuit from a former resident that alleged bodily injury and property damage after the fire at the location on July 13.

Former tenant Alvaro Vieira was asking for $50,000.

Owner Dennis Etzkorn said that he has been working with investigators to learn the cause of the fire that killed 10 people.

Other former residents filed a similar suit.

Etzkorn’s full statement can be read below:

I have owned the Gabriel House assisted living home for more than 25 years. We are proud to have become part of the Fall River community. Like the rest of the community, I am devastated for the victims of the July 13 fire at the home and their families. As my staff and I continue the work to reunite survivors with their possessions, I am cognizant – I will never forget – that 10 families have suffered a loss that can never be restored. My heart breaks for them in this unbearable time of immense grief.

Over the last quarter century, we have worked hard to provide homes to many people who needed us. Ensuring that the building was safe was always paramount for us. Our residents were more than tenants – they were our neighbors, our friends, and part of our unique Gabriel House family. We, too, deeply mourn their loss.

“I will be forever grateful to the firefighters, police officers, and medics who responded to help us on that tragic night. Were it not for their heroic actions, I have no doubt we would have lost other members of our little community.

Since that night, I have worked closely with all the investigators to determine exactly what happened, and why a fire that should have been contained to one room spread beyond that point of origin, in light of all our inspections. The families of those lost, the survivors, and the city of Fall River deserve those answers.

I have provided investigators with all records related to the building’s safety, including documentation of regular inspections of the sprinkler system by the vendor. The most recent inspection was done on July 8, five days before the fire, and the system was reported to be in working order.

Some people have asked me what the future holds for Gabriel House. But this is not the time to think about the future. This is a time to remain in the present and help those who are hurting to heal, and help those trying to understand what happened to find answers. Those responsibilities are currently all-encompassing and we will continue to do our very best in helping all the families and survivors.