The residents of Fall River are stepping up to help the survivors of the fire at an assisted living home.

The fire that began on Sunday evening at the Gabriel House has injured 30 and killed nine. At least one resident remains in critical condition. There were around 70 residents in the building at the time of the fire, which means that many are without homes.

The city set up a temporary shelter at the Timao Center on Bay Street immediately after the fire. Fall River Mayor Paul Coogan said that most of the survivors had been transferred to shelters as of Monday night.

At these shelters, first responders, volunteers, and Good Samaritans carried essential supplies and helped out in any way that they could. Some are just standing by to provide emotional support.

"We don't have the best reputation here in Fall River, but when something happens to one of our own, we rally and we support that person. We've done it time and time again. This is on a grander scale, but we'll get it done for sure," said business owner Christopher Silvia.  

Organizers are springing into action and this kind of need has been Sharron Furtado's mission for many years. 

"I know people love to help by giving clothes and things like that, but these people don't need that right now. They really need monetary donations. I started a GoFundMe page about 4.5 hours ago. We've already raised more than $19,000," said Furtado. 

The Firefighters' Wives Association is working closely with Christopher's Eatery, which is putting menu items on the back burner this week to focus on fundraising and resources to last the long road to recovery. 

"We're going to do what we can to help all these families. The best we can. You can't get their lives back. But we can do what we can," Furtado added. 

For more information about getting involved through volunteering or donations, head to the 

• Fall River News