Owner of Gabriel House in Fall River, Massachusetts had legal controversies years before deadly fire, I-Team found
Dennis Etzkorn, the owner of Gabriel House in Fall River, Massachusetts, is said to be cooperating with the investigation into the deadly fire at the assisted living home, but WBZ-TV's I-Team has found he has legal controversies in his past.
The fire tore through the complex Sunday night, killing nine residents and sending 30 more to the hospital. One of them remains in critical condition. Those who survived the fire called it a "nightmare" and thought they were going to die.
Debbie Johnson has worked at Gabriel House for four years.
"They had cockroaches, infested with cockroaches, bed bugs. It was dirty," she told WBZ. "The elevator was broke for 9 months. People on the third floor were stuck in their rooms. They don't deserve to live in those quarters."
Who is Dennis Etzkorn?
The I-Team learned that the Gabriel House is owned by Gabriel Care, Inc. Records from the Secretary of State's office in Massachusetts show Dennis Etzkorn is the president, treasurer, and secretary of the corporation. The home has 100 units and opened in 1999, according to Mass.gov. Seventy people were living there at the time of the fire.
Etzkorn also owns other health care-related businesses in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. He's been involved in legal controversies over the years.
In 2010, he was sued by a female employee who claimed discrimination. He was ordered to pay her more than $15,000.
In 2012, the state attorney general indicted him on a kickback scheme involving Medicaid. The charges were later dropped after a judge found the evidence was obtained illegally.
In 2014, Charlie Baker's campaign for governor returned donations from Etzkorn.
In 2017, he faced criminal charges in connection with sanitary code violations in connection with another property in Fall River. Those charges were later dismissed.
In a statement to the Boston Globe, Etzkorn said, "I, along with my entire family, am devastated by the tragedy at Gabriel House. Our thoughts are with every one of our residents, their families, our staff, and the brave first responders. I am grateful for the support the city of Fall River has shown to everyone affected by this tragedy. We will continue to cooperate with the authorities and provide them with any information they may need throughout the investigative process regarding the cause and origin of this fire."
"Like a nursing home"
Paul Lanzikos is the executive director of Dignity Alliance, an advocacy group. He said it's a tragedy that could have likely been avoided. His organization has been sounding the alarm about assisted living homes for years.
"Their population is ever more looking like a nursing home population, yet they don't have the same extent of regulations and oversight," Lanzikos said.
The homes are required to be certified and inspected by the Executive Office of Aging and Independence. None of the individual facility reports is posted online.
Fall River Building Department records show Gabriel House passed inspection in October 2024 and that certification was set to expire this coming October. At a news conference Monday, the fire chief was asked if there were any problems with the sprinkler system. He said he was not sure if it was operating properly.
Assisted living homes are considered residential and provide personal services and food to residents.
A 2025 state report shows the average rent cost per month for assisted living homes ranges from $4,228 to $10,886. Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey said most of the residents at Gabriel House are on MassHealth and receiving state benefits. She was not aware of any safety complaints.
Lanzikos said the state has an obligation to inspect the properties.
"Nine people died and 30 people are in the hospital. In this day and age, that is not acceptable. The people who have the ownership and responsibility, they need to be held accountable," he said.