In the aftermath of the devastating July 13 fire that reduced the Gabriel House assisted living facility to charred remains, killing 10 and injuring dozens more, the city’s Director of Inspectional Services Glenn Hathaway shared that the city has a “major problem” with air conditioning units installed in bedroom windows that could be used as emergency egress.

According to previous reports, first responders on the scene helped evacuate more than half of the 70 residents — many of them infirm and needing to be carried out — out of the building’s windows and doors.

But the number of window AC units that had to be pulled out of windows and dumped to the ground made rescues difficult, Fall River Fire Chief Jeffrey Bacon said in the hours after the fire was struck down.

Read more at heraldnews.com.