Adding to the series of legal actions in response to the tragic Gabriel House fire which claimed 10 lives, Michael P. Croley, 78, a survivor, recently filed a lawsuit alleging negligence that resulted in inadequate safety measures and insufficient staff training. The civil complaint lodged last Friday accuses the Fall River assisted living facility, its owners Dennis A. Etzkorn and Karen Etzkorn, and Dartmouth-based Fire Systems Inc. of failing to enforce smoking rules effectively, among other shortcomings, causing residents severe distress and loss, as reported by The Boston Globe.
Specific grievances highlighted by Croley include the absence of a functional fire suppression system which the lawsuit alleges Fire Systems Inc. was responsible for installing and maintaining, not only that but also emergency lighting failed to activate during the fire, compounding the pernicious environment that Croley and others found themselves entrapped within, per information from both The Boston Globe and WCVB.
Investigations into the July 13 fire pointed to accidental causes, with the Massachusetts Fire Marshal Jon Davine suggesting the involvement of medical oxygen and smoking materials, according to the same WCVB article. Croley's suit asserts that despite the implicit risks, regulations concerning smoking indoors were not properly enforced, with the additional barrier of obstructed emergency exits due to the placement of air conditioning units in windows exacerbating the already hazardous situation.
As Croley seeks reparation for his injuries and the emotional distress caused by the incident, owner Dennis Etzkorn has publicly expressed his devastation and asserted his cooperation in determining the cause behind the fire's rapid spread, despite what he maintains were regular inspections and the facility's apparent compliance with safety standards; "The most recent inspection was done on July 8, five days before the fire, and the system was reported to be in working order," Dennis Etzkorn previously stated, as The Boston Globe notes. Croley's suit, seeking $100,000 in damages, is among several other legal complaints launched by survivors and on behalf of deceased tenants, collectively illuminating a deeply troubling picture of oversight and mismanagement.
