New details of deadly Gabriel House fire revealed in After Action Report

FALL RIVER, Mass. (WLNE) — A little over four months after flames tore through the Gabriel House in Fall River, the fire department released its After Action Report (AAR).

The report revealed new details about the fire that ripped through the assisted living facility, killing 10 people, affirming the two causes the state fire marshal shared over the summer.

The cause remained as “two possible accidental ignition sources: smoking materials or an oxygen concentrator failure.”

The report also emphasized just how quickly the fire spread, noting that a lack of fire doors and the presence of purified oxygen made it nearly impossible for some to escape.

The findings confirm that the windows of many rooms were blocked by air-conditioning units, and elevator rescues were out of the question because of fire in the lobby.

That, combined with the AAR’s findings that staffing levels fell short of those recommended by the national fire protection association, made rescue efforts incredibly difficult.

Despite the factors working against them, firefighters rescued 53 residents, according to the report, 27 via ladders and 26 in the hallways and stairwells.

Though the report detailed how some firefighters acted independently under pressure to save more victims, potentially jeopardizing the operation.

The conclusion of the AAR said that stronger command structure and crew integrity enforcement would allow for a more effective response in large scale emergencies like this in the future.

The full report can be viewed publicly at this link.