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Medals recognize rescue of 53 during deadly Gabriel House blaze
Forty-five Fall River firefighters received medals for rescuing 53 people from the 2025 Gabriel House fire, which killed 10 residents. The ceremony came days after Massachusetts adopted stricter requirements for inspecting and replacing recalled sprinkler systems.
FORT RIVER, Mass. — Forty-five members of the Fall River Fire Department received medals Friday for their role in rescuing 53 people from the July 12, 2025, fire at Gabriel House, an assisted living facility that left 10 people dead and dozens injured.
At a ceremony in the Kuss Middle School auditorium, firefighters and officials reflected on the physical and emotional toll of the blaze, one of the deadliest fires in Massachusetts history. Gov. Maura Healey attended and pledged to improve conditions and resources for fire departments, including support for firefighters whose health may have been affected by the fire.
Deputy Fire Chief Neil Furtado said the recognition brought him a measure of closure as he continues to deal with cancer and other health challenges. “It meant a lot for me,” he said.
Fire Chief Jeffrey Bacon said the department designed the ceremony to focus on the people who survived. In the days after the tragedy, he said, firefighters were preoccupied with those who died and did not fully recognize the lives they had saved.
The ceremony followed changes to the state fire code adopted Thursday. An investigation found that most of the sprinklers at Gabriel House were faulty and had not been replaced. Under the new requirements, sprinkler systems must be inspected annually, and recalled systems must be replaced in a timely manner.
Bacon said he believes the changes will help save lives in the future.