FALL RIVER, Mass. — As the one-year anniversary of the Gabriel House fire in Fall River nears, a demonstration showed how sprinklers can make a difference.
On July 13, 2025, the fire killed 10 people and hospitalized 30 more.
The Gabriel House did not have working sprinklers. Authorities said the facility contained many recalled sprinklers. They have since been replaced.
[ 25 Investigates: 6 Fall River buildings found with faulty sprinkler heads after Gabriel House fire ]
Many who survived the fire or who lost loved ones have since sued the owner, Dennis Etzkorn, who 25 Investigates discovered did not have liability insurance.
The National Fire Sprinkler Association created an exact replica of a hallway and bedroom that once existed at Fall River’s Gabriel House Fire, showing how smoke filled the room in seconds, but it also revealed how a working sprinkler provided enough time for a resident to escape.
“Sprinklers save lives. And it doesn’t matter what kind of construction you have. What kind of furnishings you have in a space. If its properly sprinkled, it’s going to save lives,” said Fall River Fire Chief Jeffrey Bacon.
The National Fire Sprinkler Association is pushing enforcement laws for recalled sprinklers.
“Fire sprinklers buy time, time buys life. It buys time for the occupant to escape, and it buys time for the fire department to arrive,” said Shane Ray, of the NFSA.
“You saw exactly what happened when a sprinkler check that might have been a check off on a piece of paper, might have been, let’s check these sprinklers and see what they are going to do If we had done that or if it was enforced, we might be talking about a little house fire vs a national catastrophe,” said Fall River Mayor Paul Coogan.
Officials found that the cause of the fire was due to smoking materials or a failure of a resident’s oxygen device.
The Fall River Fire Department and city officials will honor the lives lost on Monday, July 13.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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