Overview

• Brenda Cropper’s passing in hospital on July 16 raised the death toll from nine to ten following the July 13 blaze.
• Fire Chief Jeffrey Bacon and Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn have deemed the fire accidental and continue investigating its precise origin.
• Fall River building department records show Gabriel House went without a city inspection from 2022 until October 2024.
• Employees and state inspectors previously flagged infestations of mice, cockroaches and bed bugs as well as malfunctioning emergency equipment.
• Mayor Paul Coogan has criticized owner Dennis Etzkorn for lack of cooperation as the fire department pushes for budget approval to hire additional firefighters.