FALL RIVER, Mass. — The families of several victims killed or injured in the Gabriel House fire in Fall River have consolidated their lawsuits into one master complaint.
Ten people were killed, and 30 were injured after the five-alarm fire tore through the assisted living facility on July 13, 2025, making it the deadliest fire in Massachusetts in more than 40 years.
The new master complaint was filed in Bristol County Superior Court on behalf of eight families and dozens of victims.
The filing consolidates more than a dozen lawsuits brought by victims, survivors, and the families of those killed in the fire into a single case for pretrial proceedings
In the amended complaint, attorneys for survivors and victims’ families allege the facility’s owners and operators engaged in “negligent, grossly negligent, reckless, and otherwise wrongful acts and omissions” that caused or contributed to the deadly fire. The filing claims defendants showed a “reckless disregard for the safety and well-being” of residents and that their conduct “caused or substantially contributed” to the blaze that killed 10 people and injured dozens more.
The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages and names Gabriel Care, Inc., Gabriel Care, LLC and owner Dennis Etzkorn as defendants. According to the complaint, Etzkorn was responsible for the facility’s policies, staffing, maintenance, regulatory compliance and resident safety.
In addition to wrongful death claims, the complaint also includes claims from surviving residents who allege they suffered injuries, emotional distress, and the loss of their homes and personal belongings as a result of the fire. The filing states the fire displaced every resident from the facility and deprived many of their possessions.
Investigators determined the fire was likely accidental. However, city officials said the facility’s sprinkler system was part of a nationwide recall 24 years ago and was never replaced.
A spokesperson for the sprinkler company has filed its own lawsuit against the Gabriel House, alleging the owner knew about the recall but failed to take action.
However, the property owner denies the claim and said the company failed to properly inspect the sprinklers for years.
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