Massachusetts announces assisted living safety changes 6 months after deadly Fall River fire

Governor Maura Healey revealed a new set of safety reforms for assisted living facilities in Massachusetts Monday, six months after the devastating fire at Gabriel House in Fall River.

Ten residents died and more than two dozen were hurt in the fire on July 13, 2025.

The changes came after the Assisted Living Resident Commission spent months preparing the recommendations based on feedback from the general public. The report was originally due on August 1 but was extended to January 12 to include recommendations based on the Gabriel House fire.

One new initiative requires fire departments to complete more inspections of the residences. Another requires each facility to have licensed nurses and "leadership training that matches resident needs." 

The recommendations aim to help families make informed decisions on where to send their loved ones by giving them access to more information about owners, compliance records, and action plans. 

In an effort to create more transparency, the state will require the facilities to inform families when residents need more care and any additional costs based on evaluations. They will also ensure that families know when a facility can no longer meet their family members' needs.   

"The heartbreaking tragedy at Gabriel House showed us that we cannot wait to strengthen protections for assisted living residents," Healey said in a statement. "Every older adult deserves a safe home and peace of mind, and every family deserves transparency and accountability," 

The state will also create a task force to increase access to facilities for low- and middle-income adults.

The Fall River fire chief released recommendations from his department last year in a safety report following the fire.    

Seven former residents have sued the facility's owner, Dennis Etzkorn, accusing him of negligence. The lawsuit accuses Fire Systems, Inc. of not maintaining the fire alarms and sprinklers.

A spokesman for Etzkorn released a statement Tuesday saying he "continues to provide authorities with whatever information they need to complete their investigation" into the tragedy.

"To say that he remains devasted by the loss of lives that night is an understatement. Dennis has made residents' safety his priority throughout his ownership of the Gabriel House; while he cannot discuss proposed changes to facilities at this time, he welcomes any efforts to ensure that no other tragedies of this scope ever occur again," the spokesman said.