How long will the fire investigation at Gabriel House take? Investigations explained

Yahoo

18-07-2025

Soon after a massive fire swept through a Fall River assisted living facility on July 13, the Bristol County District Attorney's office announced an investigation was underway.
The fire does not appear suspicious, but investigators haven't yet narrowed down the potential factors to a single cause, according to Department of Fire Services spokesperson Jake Wark.
"This specific investigation is very ongoing," said Fall River Deputy Fire Chief Neil Furtado, who also serves as a city fire investigator.
The Department of Fire Services, Fall River police and firefighters, and state troopers assigned to the district attorney's office are all involved.
Here's how fire investigations in Massachusetts typically work and how long this investigation might take.
How does a fire investigation typically work? How long do they take?
Investigators prioritize the goal to identify the origin and cause of a fire, Wark said in an email.
"I've investigated hundreds and hundreds of fires, and [the investigations] pretty much all start the same way," Furtado said.
Typically, local fire investigators like Furtado will start from the area with the least amount of damage and work their way up to the area with the most damage, he said.
He said a highly damaged area would be closer to the point of origin.
"I see the depth of char on wood, for example. So, you may only have surface burning in one area, but as you get closer to where the fire started, you're going to have deeper char and more destruction, and less mass of the wood," Furtado said.
He explained that a large portion of the investigation is reading burn patterns and knowing melting points.
"It's very scientific," Furtado said.
He explained that witness statements are also a key element.
Once a point or area of origin is narrowed down, investigators typically seek out the last person who was in the room for questioning, Furtado said.
"The consistency, at the end of the day, is what makes you a good and thorough fire investigator. You have to look at everything and rule things out," he said.
Additional agencies, including state authorities and insurance companies, might also conduct investigations depending on the circumstances.
Wark explained that it is difficult to determine the length of an investigation at the beginning.
"As far as a timeline goes, we often say that an investigation takes as long as it takes," Wark said.
Why is the district attorney's office involved?
The Bristol County District Attorney's office is involved in the Fall River investigation because it has jurisdiction over death investigations, Wark said.
"The DA's presence should not suggest anything criminal in nature," Wark said.
They are supported by the Department of Fire Services' Code Compliance & Enforcement Unit, which assists with fire code issues and other life safety regulations.
The unit's role in the investigation is to assess Gabriel House's compliance with rules and regulations on sprinklers, alarms, exits, and other details, according to Wark.
What investigators at the Fall River residence have so far
The damage was severe in parts of the Gabriel House assisted living residence, making for a more difficult investigation, Wark said.
Investigators have examined the scene at 261 Oliver St., watched security footage from the area, and conducted multiple witness interviews, he said.
Given the scale of the fire, local investigators as well as those from the state are working "carefully, methodically, and diligently," Wark said.
He said he does not expect any significant developments in the investigation this week.
"This is no different than when the NTSB does an investigation on a plane crash and they say, 'We probably won't have a completed report for a year.' That can happen. That's how many things are involved," Furtado said.
This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Fall River fire: How long will the investigation take? What to know
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