FALL RIVER, Mass. (AP) — A 10th victim has died from the fire that ripped through a Massachusetts assisted-living facility earlier this week, officials said Thursday.
Brenda Cropper, 66, died late Wednesday after being hospitalized in critical condition since Sunday's fire at the Gabriel House, Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn III announced. His office did not release any more information about Cropper or about the fire that erupted in Fall River, a blue-collar city in southern Massachusetts.
Inspection reports by the city's Bureau of Fire Investigation going back to 2019 released Thursday identified no problems at the Gabriel House. The inspection reports cover things like sprinkler systems, fire extinguishers, exit doors and general housekeeping
According to Fire Chief Jeffrey Bacon, the blaze started in a room on the second floor on the east side of the Gabriel House building, but details about the exact origin and cause are under investigation. However, the district attorney's office has maintained that the cause “does not appear to be suspicious.”
The fire and thick smoke trapped residents inside, including some who were hanging out windows screaming for help. At least 30 people were hurt and nine people initially reported dead, all over the age of 60. The fire chief said Wednesday that a second person was also critical condition.
Those who died have been identified as Joseph Wilansky, 77, Rui Albernaz, 64, Ronald Codega, 61, Margaret Duddy, 69, Robert King, 78, Kim Mackin, 71, Richard Rochon, 78, and Eleanor Willett, 86. The identity of a 70-year-old woman has not been released.
About 50 firefighters responded to the scene, including 30 who were off-duty. Police helped break down doors and carried about a dozen residents to safety. Five injured firefighters were released from the hospital Monday.
Union officials say the city didn’t staff enough firefighters to rescue all the residents trapped in the blaze— a contention that city officials have since sought to resolve by promising to add more firefighters to each shift, initially via overtime and eventually by hiring new staff.
Meanwhile, the facility’s owner had repeatedly been cited by state regulators for tardiness in reporting potential health and safety incidents. The tragedy has called attention to the minimal regulations that govern assisted-living facilities.
In documents released Wednesday, receipts for the facility as far back as 2015 from pest control companies showed Gabriel House had been treated for bed bugs and other pest. A 2015 receipt described the dining room as “filthy” and that “food was undercooked."
The Associated Press
