Massachusetts assisted-living blaze kills a musician, secretary, and veteran Army sharpshooter

Gabriel House had seen better days.

The 100-unit assisted-living facility that burned Sunday night, killing nine people so far, opened in 1999. Some photos on its Facebook page show neat rooms but older-looking carpeting and furniture. Her granddaughter didn’t like the assisted-living center, but 86-year-old Eleanor Willett wanted something that left her money to play the slots at a casino. She earned too much to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to afford a higher-priced assisted-living facility, Holly Mallowes told The Associated Press Tuesday.

“She said, ‘I don’t need much, but a roof over my head and someplace to put my sewing machine,’” Mallowes said…

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