Two potential causes of fatal assisted-living facility fire revealed; first responder bodycam rescues go viral

Authorities said a July 13 fire that ravaged a Fall River, Massachusetts, assisted-living facility, killing 10 people and injuring more than 30 others, was an accident that may have been sparked by either a malfunctioning oxygen machine or the careless use or disposal of smoking materials.

State Fire Marshal John Davin said during a news conference Tuesday the Gabriel House Assisted Living Facility fire started in a resident’s room on the second floor of the building.

However, when authorities investigated and conducted initial interviews, they found the fire did not appear to have been set intentionally, according to Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn.

“[Authorities] found no signs that cooking, lighting, heating, electrical outlets or other appliances contributed to the ignition of this fire,” Davin said. “They found no candles, incense or related items.”

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The only items investigators found in the room that could have been related to the cause of the fire were an oxygen concentrator and numerous smoking materials in the room, according to Davin.

Since the person who was in the room where the fire originated died in the blaze, authorities said the two most likely causes were a mechanical failure involving the oxygen concentrator or improper use or disposal of smoking materials.

When authorities have two possible causes, the incident is ruled to have an “undetermined” cause.

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“Investigators believe the presence of medical oxygen played a significant role in the fire’s rapid spread and the ensuing tragedy,” Davin said. “Oxygen is a necessary component of any fire, and it was present in the area of origin and other locations at Gabriel House. In an oxygen-rich environment, the fire will ignite more readily, spread more rapidly and burn at higher temperatures.”

Home oxygen was a known factor in about 20 fire deaths and more than three dozen injuries in Massachusetts over the last 10 years, and it was a suspected factor in many others, according to the fire marshal. Incidents involving smoking materials are the leading cause of fatal fires in Massachusetts and across the nation.

A firefighter battles a fire at an assisted-living residence in Fall River, Mass., July 13. (WPRI)

“Please, there’s truly no safe way to smoke, but smoking is especially dangerous when home oxygen is in use,” Davin cautioned. “No one should smoke around medical oxygen.”

Fall River Fire Chief Jeffrey Bacon commended the work of first responders who appear in viral bodycam videos saving elderly residents from the home.

“Over the past week, the Gabriel House victims, the survivors and their families have not left our thoughts for a single minute since last Sunday night,” Bacon said during the news conference. “I can’t imagine the loss they suffered or the pain they feel. What I can say is that every firefighter at the scene that night gave 100% and then gave more to preserve as many lives as they could under catastrophic conditions.”

Bodycam footage shows Fall River police officers kicking in a door to get to residents during a fire at an assisted-living facility July 13. (Fall River Police Department/Facebook)

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Fox News Digital previously reported that five firefighters were among the more than 30 injured in the blaze.

“We have a philosophy in the fire service: You risk a little to save a little, and you risk a lot to save a lot,” Bacon said. “They risked everything in hopes that others might live. We mourn the lives lost and the decades of family memories that were erased as a fire, smoke and intense heat tore through Gabriel House.

“I ask that you say a prayer for these families, and I also ask that you spare a thought for the first responders who are confronting their own trauma. They did a job no one should ever be asked to do, and I know they would do it again. They represented the very highest traditions of the fire service.”

In addition to on-duty fire crews, dozens of off-duty personnel raced to the fire to help, he said. The Fall River Police Department reported 35 officers also responded to help with evacuations.

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Bodycam footage showed police rushing to help, equipped with flashlights and explosive door-kicks.

“Eleven officers and two sergeants exemplified professionalism, bravery, and selflessness in the face of danger,” the police department wrote in a Facebook post. “The coordinated efforts of the Fall River Police Department, Fall River Fire Department, and Emergency Medical Services demonstrated the unwavering commitment of our public safety personnel to protect and serve this community.”