FALL RIVER, MASS. (WHDH) - Survivors recalled their harrowing experience escaping from the flames during Sunday night’s fire at Gabriel House in Fall River.
Robert Cabral had lived at the assisted living facility for six years.
“I’m glad I got out and I’m alive,” Cabral said. “It was just crazy. People running out everywhere; people stopping to try to help but the first responders did an excellent job. You’ve got to give them credit. Did an excellent job getting people out, pulling them out of windows.”
“I got up, I opened my door, smoke just threw me back into the room and I tried again to get out,” said Loraine Ferrara, who lived at Gabriel House. “I was near the exit door but I couldn’t reach the exit door. The smoke and the sprinkler system was too much for me so I went into my bathroom. I yelled out my window, I yelled down ‘help help’ to the fire department and a firefighter came up and carried me down the ladder.”
“I lost two people that I loved dearly in that fire,” Ferrara continued. “I’m going to miss them.”
Al Manza says he had to leave his daughter’s ashes in his dresser when he evacuated, but says first responders returned them to him Monday morning.
“Her ashes mean a whole lot to me,” said Manza. “And the only things I could grab to get out were my walker and I had my portable tank.”
That was one of the many acts of kindness that took place at the Timao Center, where the survivors were taken.
Governor Maura Healey stopped by in the afternoon to check in.
Community members stopped by to drop off clothing and other essentials to help those who lost so much.
“Just trying to do what we can as a community; trying to work together,” said Ken Levesque, of the Veterans Association of Bristol County.
Nine people died in the fire. A GoFundMe has been set up for the families of the victims involved.
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