Smoking or oxygen machine may have caused deadly fire at Fall River assisted-living home

FALL RIVER Mass AP A fire that killed people at a Massachusetts assisted-living facility was unintentionally caused by someone smoking or an electrical issue with an oxygen machine investigators explained Tuesday The state s deadliest blaze in more than four decades has highlighted the lack of regulations governing assisted-living facilities that often care for low-income or disabled residents The state fire marshal Jon Davine reported the presence of biological oxygen contributed to the spread of the July fire at Gabriel House in Fall River The blaze left certain residents of hanging out windows of the three-story building screaming for help Please there s truly no safe way to smoke But smoking is especially dangerous when home oxygen is in use Davine reported at a news conference Tuesday Investigators determined no signs that electrical outlets lights heaters or cooking appliances sparked the fire noted Thomas Quinn the district attorney for Bristol County Earlier Tuesday Massachusetts Gov Maura Healey reported the state was releasing million to hire more crisis response personnel for blue-collar city about miles kilometers south of Boston She mentioned additional funds will be expedited for the state s municipal population safety staffing scheme Members of the local firefighter s union have declared a lack of urgency personnel staffing made responding to the blaze more complicated and made the fire itself deadlier We are here in contemporary times to listen Healey mentioned to make sure that we understand what this neighborhood requirements now and moving forward in the wake of this tragedy The district attorney s office identified the th victim as Halina Lawler on Monday The casualties of the fire ranged in age from to The governor stated last week that a state agency that ensures assisted-living residences comply with regulations will investigate all such facilities in Massachusetts to make sure they are prepared to protect residents during emergencies She announced Tuesday that work has begun A resident of Gabriel House filed a lawsuit Monday alleging the facility was not properly managed staffed or maintained that residency rules were not enforced and that exigency response procedures were not put in place Trapped in his room during the fire Steven Oldrid was in an already compromised physical condition when he suffered smoke inhalation and lost consciousness according to the complaint filed in Bristol County Superior Court As a consequence Oldrid says he has increased mobility restrictions and has racked up curative bills for medication George K Regan Jr a spokesperson for the facility owned by Dennis Etzkorn did not straightaway respond to an email seeking comment on the lawsuit A phone message was also left with Oldrid s attorney General injury law firm Morgan Morgan also noted last week it was hired to investigate the fire by the family of one of the residents killed at Gabriel House Morgan Morgan Communications Manager Emily Walsh commented the law firm had already begun looking into whether the facility was adequately staffed and provided proper training to staff as well as any foreseen code violations and feasible failures of fire safety equipment Etzkorn has disclosed he is cooperating with investigations into the fire Gabriel House issued a announcement Monday emphasizing the importance of finding out exactly what caused this catastrophe and if there were factors that made it worse The announcement explained the facility placed a premium on residents safety Maintaining compliance with all safety and building codes has invariably been our priority and there were quarterly inspections of the fire suppression system the latest as in recent times as five days prior to the fire noted the facility s spokesperson