Latest news with #JakeWark
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
How long will the fire investigation at Gabriel House take? Investigations explained
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 Solve the daily Crossword
RTÉ News
5 days ago
- RTÉ News
Nine dead, 30 injured in fire at assisted living facility near Boston
A fire that broke out at an assisted living facility for the elderly near Boston last night has killed at least nine people and injured 30 others, authorities have said. About 70 people lived at the Gabriel House assisted living facility in Fall River, Massachusetts, where the fire broke out about 9.30pm local time (2.30am Irish time) Jake Wark, a spokesperson for the Massachusetts Department of Fire Security, said. Mr Wark said that about 50 firefighters responded to the incident in Fall River, about 90km south of Boston. The city opened a temporary shelter for surviving residents. Firefighters rescued numerous occupants of the facility, which is designed for older people to live independently with staff assistance, he said. Several residents were declared dead at the scene, while many others were transported to hospitals, and one person was in critical condition. Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey called the fire a tragedy and said the cause was being investigated. "My heart goes out to those who are waking up to the most horrific news imaginable about their loved ones this morning," she said in a statement. Fall River Fire Chief Jeffrey Bacon told the media that some people were hanging from windows when firefighters arrived, the Boston Globe reported. Gabriel House opened in 1999 and has 100 units, according to state data. Dennis Etzkorn has been the sole director, president and treasurer of Gabriel Care, the corporation that runs the facility, since its founding. Efforts to reach Mr Etzkorn for comment were unsuccessful. In 2015, he agreed to pay $950,000 to the state to settle and dismiss charges of fraud brought by the Massachusetts attorney general's office over an alleged scheme of offering kickbacks of $150 for referrals of customers to Gabriel Care who use the state's health insurance company, MassHealth, court records show.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
Fire at Boston-area senior living facility kills at least nine
(Reuters) -A fire that broke out at an assisted living facility for the elderly near Boston on Sunday night killed at least nine people and injured 30 others, authorities said. About 70 people lived at the Gabriel House assisted living facility in Fall River, Massachusetts, where the fire broke out about 9:30 p.m. on Sunday (0130 GMT Monday), Jake Wark, a spokesperson for the Massachusetts Department of Fire Security, said on Monday. Wark said that about 50 firefighters responded to the incident in Fall River, about 60 miles south of Boston. The city opened a temporary shelter for surviving residents. Firefighters rescued numerous occupants of the facility, which is designed for older people to live independently with staff assistance, he said. Several residents were declared dead at the scene, while many others were transported to hospitals, and one person was in critical condition. Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey called the fire a tragedy and said the cause was being investigated. "My heart goes out to those who are waking up to the most horrific news imaginable about their loved ones this morning," she said in a statement. Fall River Fire Chief Jeffrey Bacon told the media that some people were hanging from windows when firefighters arrived, the Boston Globe reported. Gabriel House opened in 1999 and has 100 units, according to state data. Dennis Etzkorn has been the sole director, president and treasurer of Gabriel Care, the corporation that runs the facility, since its founding. Efforts to reach Etzkorn for comment were unsuccessful. In 2015, he agreed to pay $950,000 to the state to settle and dismiss charges of fraud brought by the Massachusetts attorney general's office over an alleged scheme of offering kickbacks of $150 for referrals of customers to Gabriel Care who use the state's health insurance company, MassHealth, court records show.
Dubai Eye
5 days ago
- Dubai Eye
Fire at Boston-area senior living facility kills at least nine
At least nine people died and more than 30 others were injured when a fire broke out at a Boston-area assisted-living center on Sunday night, authorities said. About 70 people lived at the Gabriel House Assisted Living Facility in Fall River, Massachusetts, where the fire broke out about 9:30 pm on Sunday (0130 GMT Monday), Jake Wark, a spokesperson for the Massachusetts Department of Fire Security, said on Monday. Wark said that about 50 firefighters responded to the incident in Fall River, about 60 miles south of Boston. The city opened up a temporary shelter for surviving residents. Firefighters rescued numerous occupants of the facility, which is designed for older people to live independently with staff assistance, he said. Several residents were declared dead at the scene, while many others were transported to hospitals, and one person was in critical condition. Fall River Fire Chief Jeffrey Bacon told the media on Monday that some people were hanging from windows when firefighters arrived, the Boston Globe reported. 'This is an unfathomable tragedy for the families involved and the Fall River community,' Bacon said, telling reporters that the fire was under investigation. Five firefighters sustained injuries that were not life-threatening, Wark said.
Express Tribune
6 days ago
- General
- Express Tribune
Fire at Boston-area senior living facility kills at least nine
About 70 people lived at the Gabriel House Assisted Living Facility in Fall River. PHOTO: BOSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT Listen to article At least nine people died and more than 30 others were injured when a fire broke out at a Boston-area assisted-living center on Sunday night, authorities said. About 70 people lived at the Gabriel House Assisted Living Facility in Fall River, Massachusetts, where the fire started around 9:30 p.m. on Sunday (0130 GMT Monday), according to Jake Wark, a spokesperson for the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services. Wark said approximately 50 firefighters responded to the incident in Fall River, located about 60 miles south of Boston. The city opened a temporary shelter for surviving residents. Heavy fire in the attic through, all firefighters have been ordered to out of the building . — Boston Fire Dept. (@BostonFire) July 13, 2025 Firefighters rescued numerous occupants of the facility, which is designed for older individuals to live independently with staff assistance. Several residents were declared dead at the scene, while many others were transported to hospitals. One person was reported to be in critical condition. A busy 24 hours for our firefighters, many of them working at the 3 alarm fire on Corwin st. in the day and the 4 alarm fire that evening on Poplar st. A great job by all our firefighters and Fire Alarm Operators . — Boston Fire Dept. (@BostonFire) July 13, 2025 Fall River Fire Chief Jeffrey Bacon told the media on Monday that some individuals were hanging from windows when firefighters arrived, according to the Boston Globe. 'This is an unfathomable tragedy for the families involved and the Fall River community,' Bacon said, adding that the fire was under investigation. Five firefighters sustained non-life-threatening injuries, Wark said.
