Fall River fire chief recounts heroic rescue of residents at Gabriel House

The Fall River fire chief shared emotional accounts of firefighters' heroic efforts during the Gabriel House fire on Wednesday, highlighting their life-saving actions. Nine people died in the fire, but Chief Jeffrey Bacon said many more would have perished if not for the selfless work of his firefighters.

Bacon said the 35 firefighters faced incredible moments as they climbed down ladders carrying individuals who could not walk. He said his department never stopped saving lives during the night of the fire.

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"My driver singlehandedly lifts up each victim," Bacon said, pausing emotionally. "Puts him on his shoulder, walks down a flight of stairs, screams for a medic, and every time somebody screamed for a medic, Fall River EMS was there to help provide life-saving care. Every time a victim came, Fall River police were there to deliver them to EMS to provide lifesaving care. This might sound remarkable to you, but the driver of that ladder repeated that action six times."

Officials publicly identified an eighth victim on Wednesday as Joseph Wilansky, 77. The name of the ninth victim, a 70-year-old woman, has not been released.

A memorial with flowers and candles continues to grow at the Gabriel House, where a fire late Sunday claimed the lives of nine people. Pressure is also mounting to answer what went wrong.

Fall River Mayor Paul Coogan joined the community Tuesday night for a vigil and said he is frustrated with Dennis Etzkorn, the facility's owner.

Coogan said the two spoke on the phone early Tuesday, but when he called back again Etzkorn stopped answering his calls.

Etzkorn was seen driving off in a pickup truck just after 10 p.m. Wednesday, avoiding reporters after spending the entire day at Gabriel House.

How you can donate:

• Catholic Charities, Diocese of Fall River
• Firefighters' Wives Association Inc.

"These are his residents, and he might as well push them on the sidewalk and say, 'Have a nice day,' if he's not going to follow up. He has a financial obligation to these people, and we're going to see to the best of our ability that he does what he's supposed to do for them because these people were thrown into the abyss," Coogan said.

Coogan said as of Wednesday night, overtime will be used to get more firefighters on trucks. He says every shift, six of Fall River's 10 trucks will meet national standards, with a plan to hire more firefighters down the road.

Bacon said all residents have been placed in housing, and two people remain hospitalized in critical condition.

Fall River Fire Captain Michael O'Reagan spoke Tuesday night at the city council meeting. He called the fire a "nightmare" situation for all public safety officials.

He was emotional as he thanked first responders and ordinary citizens who helped save lives.

"We had operations ... we had guys by themselves, taking people down ladders alone ... something we don't do," he said.

O'Reagan said his crews were still rescuing and recovering people after 40 minutes on Sunday.

The Bristol County District Attorney's Office identified seven of the deceased as Rui Albernaz, 64; Ronald Codega, 61; Margaret Duddy, 69; Robert King, 78; Kim Mackin, 71; Richard Rochon, 78; and Eleanor Willett, 86; and Joseph Wilansky, 77. The office said a 70-year-old woman was still pending notification of family.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

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Fort Worth 6-alarm fire displaces hundreds, prompts federal aid request

The Brief

• A six-alarm apartment fire in Fort Worth displaced more than 800 people from the Cooper Apartment Complex.
• Governor Abbott has requested a damage assessment to determine whether the extensive losses qualify for federal disaster assistance.
• The city and charitable partners have established a fund and are helping residents retrieve vital belongings as structural safety assessments continue for the damaged buildings.

FORT WORTH, Texas - Governor Abbott is requesting a damage assessment for a six-alarm apartment fire that displaced hundreds of people in Fort Worth. The individual losses are extensive, and collectively they may be sufficient to qualify for federal disaster assistance.

Meanwhile, the city and charity partners are helping out as well.

What we know

The assistance for these hundreds of fire victims is a community-wide effort, including the City of Fort Worth.

More than 800 people were displaced by the six-alarm fire at the Cooper Apartment Complex as they continue making small moves toward progress.

The Fort Worth Fire Department told FOX 4 that the fire was accidental. The cause was an electrical anomaly in a space beneath the roofing material.

Fort Worth Fire Department officials are back on the property to assist residents by retrieving essential items for them.

Items such as medicine, passports, and important documents were recovered from the fire.

Meanwhile, a fund established to raise money for the victims is a partnership between the City of Fort Worth and the United Way.

What they're saying

Councilwoman Elizabeth Beck, who represents this district, says the fund is a reflection of the spirit of helping those in need.

One thing we know about Fort Worth is that when our neighbors are in need, we step up. And you have absolutely seen that across our community with those victims of the Cooper apartment fires, whether they are donating directly to The United Way through the fund established for them or they're donating toiletries, they're cleaning out their closets.

Residents who lost pets

Local perspective

For Miriam Zarza and her fiancé, their three most precious belongings, Saint, Gizmo, and Rex, were inside when their fifth-story unit collapsed through to the second floor.

"Gone. (Total loss). Everything," said Zarza.

So it's just a very scary feeling to even think about what they went through in their last moments.

The couple were at work when they were notified of the fire. By the time they arrived home, it was too late.

"And after that it was already too hard to control," she said.

I feel like it hasn't really hit me yet. Just because I haven't had anything from my pets, like their remains or anything, they're still there, so I still feel like I haven't gotten closure from this.

What's next

Residents of building one are still being kept out of the building. Only fire officials and designated recovery personnel may retrieve items until the building's structural safety is confirmed.

Building two residents have been able to go to their units for very short periods of time to gather important items.

The Source

Information in this article was provided from interviews conducted by FOX 4's Dionne Anglin and David Sentendrey.

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