Massachusetts Awards $1.2M to Boost Fall River Fire Staffing After Deadly Blaze

Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey announced a $1.2 million state grant to Fall River aimed at increasing emergency response staffing following the deadly July 13 fire at the Gabriel House assisted living facility, which claimed 10 lives. The funding is part of a $5.7 million pool allocated for public safety staffing improvements across ten communities, with Fall River’s fire department planning to hire up to 22 new firefighters to meet national staffing standards. The tragic fire, the deadliest in Massachusetts in over four decades, has drawn attention to insufficient regulations for assisted-living facilities, prompting the state to launch investigations into all 273 such facilities in Massachusetts to ensure emergency preparedness. While the cause of the fire is still under investigation and not considered suspicious, the local firefighter’s union cited inadequate staffing as a factor that complicated emergency response. Governor Healey emphasized that the funding reflects a commitment to public safety rather than a direct judgment on the department’s prior staffing levels. The Bristol County district attorney’s office is expected to provide further updates on the investigation, and a lawsuit has been filed by a Gabriel House resident alleging negligence by the facility.