Nine dead, dozens injured in assisted living facility fire in New England

FALL RIVER, Mass. (CBS, KYMA/KECY) - An investigation is underway into the cause of a fire which killed nine people and injured dozens more at an assisted living facility in New England Sunday.

It started around 9:30 p.m. Eastern at the Gabriel House Assisted Living Home in Fall River, Massachusetts.

Fire officials say when crews arrived, people were hanging from windows, waiting to be rescued.

"When you pull up to a building, the first thing you see is the fire, and then you see the multiple people that are asking to be helped, begging to be helped out the windows, so that's where it complicates the scene and makes everything more difficult. So, that is something that none of us ever want to pull up to so and unfortunately, that's happened here last night."

Jeffrey Bacon, Fire Chief, Fall River Fire Department

Fire officials say one victim is in critical condition Monday morning and five firefighters suffered minor injuries.

State Fire Marshal Jon Davine said about 70 people were living at the home before the fire.