At least 9 dead in fire at Boston-area senior living facility

A devastating fire broke out Sunday night at Gabriel House, an assisted living facility near Boston, killing at least nine residents and injuring 30 others, officials confirmed Monday.

The blaze began around 9:30 p.m. at the Fall River facility, which houses about 70 elderly residents, according to Jake Wark, spokesperson for the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services.

About 50 firefighters responded to the scene roughly 60 miles south of Boston. Firefighters rescued many residents, some of whom were reportedly hanging from windows when crews arrived, Fall River Fire Chief Jeffrey Bacon said.

Several people were pronounced dead at the scene, while others were transported to local hospitals. One person remains in critical condition. A temporary shelter has been set up for survivors.

Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey called the incident a tragedy and said the fire’s cause is under investigation.

“My heart goes out to those waking up to the most horrific news imaginable about their loved ones this morning,” Healey said.

Gabriel House opened in 1999 and contains 100 units. Dennis Etzkorn has served as director and president of Gabriel Care, the company that operates the facility, since its founding. Efforts to reach Etzkorn for comment were unsuccessful.

In 2015, Etzkorn settled fraud charges by paying $950,000 over allegations that Gabriel Care offered illegal kickbacks for referrals tied to the state’s MassHealth insurance program.