Gov. Healey has announced measures to enhance safety at assisted living facilities​ in the wake of a fire​ that killed at least nine people.

It’s very important in a crisis that people stay in contact,” Mayor Paul Coogan said in a wide-ranging interview from his office Friday.

Jeffrey Bacon said the fire was "destined to kill" more than 50 people, but heroic acts limited the tragic loss of life.

River fire union has claimed more lives could have been saved if more firefighters were on scene. The mayor says the department was staffed as requested by the chief.

More than 75 percent of Gabriel House residents are enrolled in Medicaid, state officials have said, and it charges significantly less than a typical assisted living facility does for private-paying patients.