The Bristol County DA Says It Incorrectly Declared a 10th Person Dead in Fall River Fire

The woman is alive, but in critical condition

Nine people died and more than 30 were injured in a fire at an assisted living facility in Fall River, Mass., on July 13, 2025.
Nine people died and more than 30 were injured in a fire at an assisted living facility in Fall River, Mass., on July 13, 2025.
Lindsey Poole / RIPBS
Share
Nine people died and more than 30 were injured in a fire at an assisted living facility in Fall River, Mass., on July 13, 2025.
Nine people died and more than 30 were injured in a fire at an assisted living facility in Fall River, Mass., on July 13, 2025.
Lindsey Poole / RIPBS
The Bristol County DA Says It Incorrectly Declared a 10th Person Dead in Fall River Fire
Copy

The Bristol County District Attorney’s office said Friday it had mistakenly announced that a 10th person had died in the fire at the Gabriel House assisted living facility in Fall River.

The DA’s office said yesterday that 66-year-old Brenda Cropper had died. But now, the DA said that the mistake was due to “a miscommunication with a medical agency.”

Cropper is still alive, the DA said, but she remains in critical condition.

Nine others died in the Gabriel House fire. An investigation into the fire’s cause is still ongoing, but Fall River Fire Department Chief Jeffrey Bacon said he believes it was accidental.

The DA’s office has not responded to multiple requests for comment from The Public’s Radio.

A new state law helped the beloved Rhode Island seafood restaurant reopen quickly after a catastrophic fire in May
Trump’s budget threatens historic preservation nationwide — including Rhode Island’s Old State House
Lily Jeznach, professor of environmental engineering at Roger Williams University and Cranston resident
Thousands of Rhode Islanders covered by UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans may have fewer choices at more cost after contract expires Monday
‘Community strength is his legacy,’ Ryan Saunders, the executive director of the Chorus of Westerly, said of Kent