At least nine (9) people have died after a fire razed through an assisted living facility in Massachusetts, and many other residents, as well as, five (5) firefighters have been rushed to hospital.
Authorities responded to the fire at Gabriel House, in the town of Fall River, at approximately 21:50 local time on Sunday (02:50 GMT on Monday).
Getting to the scene, they found residents trapped in the burning building.
Around fifty (50) firefighters went to the scene, including approximately thirty (30) who were off-duty at the time.
The cause of the fire is being investigated.
Jeffrey Bacon, Fall River fire chief, said: “This is an unfathomable tragedy for the families involved and the Fall River community.”
Before the fire, approximately 70 people were living at the facility.
The Local Department of Fire Services, said in a statement, that “several occupants” were pronounced dead at the scene, with others rescued and rushed to local and regional hospitals in different conditions.
Paul Coogan, Fall River mayor, said in a news conference, “Smoke kills more people than fire does, every day in America. I think the lesson that can be learned here is that you listen to your smoke detectors and react because smoke is a very deadly force.”
Photo: The cause of the fire at Gabriel House is under investigation. AP
