Elderly residents – some in wheelchairs and some dependent on oxygen tanks – were blinded by deadly smoke as they tried to escape an assisted-living facility in Fall River, Massachusetts, which caught fire Sunday evening.

At a press conference Tuesday, July 15, outside FRFD headquarters, Bacon said the city has typically relied on overtime for coverage in the event of a crisis -- but in an event like the Gabriel House “you can never have enough staff,” and that he is primarily focused on the lives that were saved.

The Gabriel House assisted living facility did not perform fire drills or train workers in evacuation procedures and was also understaffed and poorly maintained, according to a current and former employee interviewed in the aftermath of the fatal fire there that killed nine residents.

According to the DA's press release, once residents were evacuated from the home, Fall River police attempted to negotiate with the armed male inside. After negotiation attempts proved not to be successful, the Fall River police entered the residence at approximately 3:15 am.

A deadly fire broke out at Gabriel House, an assisted living facility located about 50 miles south of Boston in Fall River, Massachusetts.