Massachusetts Fire Deaths Decline to 44; Toll Includes 10 Lost in Gabriel House Tragedy

Fire deaths in Massachusetts declined in 2025 from a seven-year high in 2024, according to state fire officials.

Excluding fatal motor vehicle collisions with an ensuing fire, Massachusetts recorded 44 fire deaths in 30 fires during 2025, State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine reported.

More than 90% of the deaths occurred in the victims’ homes, while 10 of the deaths were due to the fire in July at the Gabriel House assisted lving facility in Fall River.

The number is a decline from the 50 civilian fire deaths recorded in 2024 and on par with the five-year average of 44 per year from 2020-2024.

One child – a 4-year-old North Adams girl – was lost to fire while two dozen people aged 65 or older lost their lives in fires during 2025, making them nearly 55% of fatal fire victims but only about 17% of the population.

Single-family homes accounted for 14 deaths, followed by the devastating fire at Gabriel House, which claimed 10 lives and represented the greatest loss of life to a single Massachusetts fire incident in decades. Nine people died in apartment or multifamily home fires, four people died in mobile home fires, and three people died in two-family homes.

The unsafe use or disposal of smoking materials was the known cause or a possible factor in 21 fire deaths in 2025, making it by far the most common factor. Smoking is especially dangerous in the presence of medical oxygen – a situation wnvestigators believe contributed to the Gabriel House fire.

Smoke alarm operation could be provisionally determined for 30 of the 40 residential fire deaths. Only 16 of these homes or units of origin had working smoke alarms. The alarms in the remainder were either not working or missing entirely.

“Sadly, the places we should feel safest – our homes – are the places where most people lose their lives to fire,” said Davine. “Changes to building construction allow fires to grow and spread faster. Synthetic furnishings create deadly smoke and toxic gases as they burn. The US Fire Administration estimates that we have less time to escape a fire at home than ever before, so it’s vital to have working smoke alarms to alert us to the danger before it’s too late.”

Four people perished in non-residential fire incidents. Three lost their lives in outdoor fires, including one who suffered fatal injuries while using illegal fireworks, and one was overcome by smoke and flames in his vehicle when the engine caught fire.

Fatal fires tend to be most likely in the winter months, with November, March and October the most likely. Fatal fires were distributed relatively evenly throughout the day, with spikes between 9:00 pm and 4:00 am.

GRAPHIC :Massachusetts fire deaths by age in 2025. State Fire Marshal graphic.

Topics Massachusetts