Fall River assisted living facility where 9 died in fire had not been inspected by state since October 2023, I-Team finds
When the deadly fire broke out Sunday night at Gabriel House in Fall River, Massachusetts, the assisted living facility had 70 residents and just two staff members working, according to the mayor and an employee.
Paul Lanzikos of the advocacy group Dignity Alliance told WBZ-TV's I-Team, "It's probably the lowest staffing point of the week and folks are in their beds, that's when folks need the most assistance. How well trained and capable were the staff that were on duty?"
Gabriel House inspections
Assisted living homes are allowed to come up with their own plans for staffing. The state of Massachusetts only requires it be reasonable to address the needs of residents. In the case of Gabriel House, the last time the state inspected the facility was in October 2023, according to records from Executive Office of Aging and Independence.
At that time, state inspectors found violations related to staffing and emergency preparedness. Gabriel House submitted a plan of correction, but no additional inspection was done and the state gave the facility a certificate to operate until December 2025. At the time of the fire, state inspectors had not set foot in Gabriel House since October 2023.
According to city inspection records obtained by WBZ Tuesday, Gabriel House was last inspected by the city of Fall River on October 15, 2024. That inspection certificate expires on October 15, 2025.
Debbie Johnson works at Gabriel House as a nursing assistant. She said the home was dirty and poorly staffed.
"This place was horrible," Johnson said. "Everybody else you talk to is going to sugarcoat this, but there's no sugarcoating whatsoever. I cannot say one good thing about that place. Not one."
Assisted living oversight
Earlier Tuesday, the Executive Office of Aging and Independence held a special commission meeting on assisted living homes, which have few requirements and, unlike nursing homes, have little to no state oversight.
Lanzikos questions about how prepared Gabriel House was for emergencies.
"How frequently have fire drills occurred? Evacuation drills? What has been the training for staff? What's been the staffing ratios close to 11 o'clock on a Sunday evening? We'd like to see all those requirements significantly increased," Lanzikos said. "Training, staffing and inspection."
The I-Team also found little transparency around assisted living residences. The Executive Office of Aging and Independence does not post any records or inspection reports online.
WBZ has filed a public records request for staffing and emergency plans for Gabriel House.
