Recalled Sprinklers Found After Gabriel House Fire: What It Means for Assisted Living and Nursing Home Safety in Massachusetts

The July 2025 fire at Gabriel House Assisted Living in Fall River was a tragedy that should never have happened. Ten lives were lost. Dozens of residents — many elderly and vulnerable — were injured or displaced. Families are now suing, alleging that the facility’s sprinkler system failed the night of the fire.

Now, new revelations show this disaster was not an isolated case. According to a report by Boston.com (Sept. 29, 2025), recalled sprinkler heads have been discovered at four different properties in Fall River, including a group home, two boarding houses, and a shelter. Officials warn that more may still be installed across Massachusetts — including in nursing homes and assisted living facilities.

This raises urgent questions: How many facilities caring for our seniors are still unsafe? And why weren’t recalled fire safety devices removed decades ago?

For more in the Gabriel Fire story, read our blogs:

Deadly Fall River Fire Exposes Failures in Assisted Living

Update in the Fall River Assisted Living Facility Fire

A Dangerous Pattern After Gabriel House

The Fall River Fire Department confirmed that the sprinkler heads in question were manufactured by Central Sprinkler Company and were subject to a nationwide recall in 2001. The recall warned that defective rubber O-ring seals could cause sprinklers to fail during a fire.

Yet more than 20 years later, inspectors are still finding them in buildings where people live. In Gabriel House, survivors have alleged that sprinklers never activated the night of the fire. At least one lawsuit argues that the facility’s fire suppression contractor ignored the recall when maintaining the system.

The city’s fire chief has urged diligence, and the Massachusetts State Fire Marshal has now issued guidance to all local fire chiefs, warning that recalled sprinklers may still be in place statewide. This means the risk extends well beyond Fall River.

Assisted Living Fires Are a Form of Neglect

Fires in elder care facilities are not just accidents. They are the result of neglect when owners and contractors fail to follow safety standards. Assisted living residents often have mobility issues, dementia, or chronic health conditions. They cannot always escape on their own.

When sprinklers fail, the consequences are catastrophic. Lives are lost not only to flames but also to smoke inhalation, panic, and delayed evacuations. For survivors, the trauma is lasting — burns, respiratory injuries, displacement, and emotional scars.

This is why fire safety is not optional. It is a core part of protecting residents. Allowing recalled or defective sprinklers to remain in place is a betrayal of trust and, in many ways, a form of elder abuse through neglect.

The Legal Side: Nursing Home and Assisted Living Liability

Massachusetts law requires facilities to provide a safe environment. That includes maintaining working fire suppression systems. When owners or contractors ignore recalls, skip inspections, or cut corners, they may be legally liable for wrongful death, negligence, or elder abuse.

In the case of Gabriel House, lawsuits have already been filed. These cases argue that the sprinkler system was defective, that contractors failed to address known recalls, and that residents were left defenseless.

But this issue is larger than one facility. As the fire marshal noted, recalled sprinklers were widely installed in nursing homes, hospitals, day cares, schools, and other residential buildings. Families across Massachusetts may be at risk without knowing it.

What Families Need to Know

If you have a loved one in an assisted living facility, ask questions now:

• Has the facility’s sprinkler system been inspected recently?

• Were any recalled components ever used?

• Can they provide testing and maintenance reports?

• Do they have evacuation plans for residents with limited mobility?

If a facility cannot answer these questions clearly, it may be a red flag. Families have a right to demand transparency.

Why This Matters

The Gabriel House fire and the recent sprinkler findings are warnings. They show us that elder care facilities in Massachusetts may still be operating with unsafe systems. And until every recalled sprinkler is identified and replaced, residents remain at risk.

This is not only a fire safety issue. It is about basic dignity and protection for the elderly. Families trust assisted living facilities and nursing homes to care for their loved ones. When that trust is broken, the results are deadly.

Our Commitment

At Ketterer, Browne & Davani, LLC, we represent families whose loved ones have been harmed by nursing home negligence, assisted living abuse, and systemic safety failures. We have seen firsthand how tragedies like the Gabriel House fire devastate families.

No family should ever have to wonder if their loved one’s sprinkler system will fail in a fire.

If your loved one lives in an assisted living facility, demand proof of fire safety. And if something feels wrong, contact us. We help families uncover the truth — and we fight to hold facilities accountable when neglect leads to harm.

Source: Boston.com, “Recalled sprinkler heads were found at four Fall River sites following Gabriel House fire,” Sept. 29, 2025.