Thirteen members of the Fall River Police Department who responded to the deadly Gabriel House assisted living facility fire of July 13, 2025, were honored in Boston with the state’s highest recognition for bravery in law enforcement.

 

Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll distributed the Trooper George L. Hanna Memorial Awards for Bravery at the Statehouse to 18 total officers from departments across the state.

 

The fire at the Gabriel House assisted living facility was the deadliest fire statewide in more than 40 years. About 70 people were trapped inside, most of them elderly, disabled and immobile. Ten people were killed.

 

The scope of the rescue job, coupled with a fire raging out of control due to malfunctioning sprinklers, stretched the resources of the Fall River Fire Department. Members of the FRPD who arrived on scene risked their lives to pull residents from the burning building, with no fire safety gear or training.

 

Interim Police Chief JT Hoar, who is himself a previous awardee, nominated the officers.

 

"I know they were all humble," he said. "They didn't feel it was necessary to be recognized in that way. But I think at the end of the day, what they did was nothing short of heroic."