A deadly fire at an assisted living residence in Massachusetts claimed the lives of at least nine people and left more than 30 others injured, according to officials.

The fire erupted around 9:30 p.m. local time on Sunday at the Gabriel House Assisted Living Facility in Fall River, a town located approximately 60 miles south of Boston, said Jake Wark, a spokesperson with the state’s fire safety department.

Roughly 70 residents were staying at the facility when the flames broke out. Emergency crews were dispatched quickly to the scene, with about 50 firefighters working to extinguish the fire and rescue trapped residents.

City officials established a temporary shelter for those who survived the incident and were displaced by the fire.

According to Wark, firefighters successfully pulled many individuals from the burning building, which serves older adults who require occasional assistance but generally live on their own. Some victims were pronounced dead at the site, while others were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment. One person was reported to be in critical condition.

Fall River’s fire chief, Jeffrey Bacon, shared harrowing details with the press, noting that rescuers found people hanging from windows when they arrived.

“This is an unfathomable tragedy for the families involved and the Fall River community,” Bacon said, telling reporters that the fire was under investigatio.

Additionally, five firefighters suffered injuries during the response, though none of their conditions were considered life-threatening, Wark added.

US aviation authorities have declared that the fuel control mechanisms in Boeing aircraft do not pose a safety risk, despite their reported involvement in the June crash of an Air India flight that claimed 260 lives.

This component has drawn scrutiny after investigators released an initial report last Friday outlining early findings from the crash.

The report revealed that both engines of the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner lost fuel supply shortly after departing from Ahmedabad airport. It also referenced older guidance suggesting that the fuel control switches be reviewed to ensure operational integrity.

In internal communication, Air India’s top executive cautioned against “premature conclusions” being formed based on this preliminary document.

The crash of Flight 171, en route to London, is among the deadliest air disasters the world has seen in recent years.

According to the early findings, the switches that manage fuel delivery to the engines had been shifted from the “run” to “cut-off” mode, severely reducing engine thrust. This information came from India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB).

The AAIB pointed to a 2018 advisory issued by the US aviation regulator, which had encouraged though not required Boeing aircraft operators to verify that the safety lock on the fuel cut-off switches could not be disengaged unintentionally.

Air India, investigators said, had not carried out this suggested check.

On Friday, the US regulator confirmed it had reviewed the AAIB’s preliminary assessment. It explained that the earlier advisory was prompted by cases in which the locking function on the switches was found to be disengaged during installation.

“Although the fuel control switch design, including the locking feature, is similar on various Boeing airplane models, the FAA does not consider this issue to be an unsafe condition that would warrant an Airworthiness Directive on any Boeing airplane models, including the Model 787,” said the authority, in an internal note shared with the BBC.

“The FAA will continue to share relevant information with foreign civil aviation authorities as appropriate.”

Cockpit audio recovered from the wreckage revealed a moment of confusion, with one pilot asking the other why the fuel had been shut off.

“The other pilot responded that he did not do so,” said the report.

The switches reportedly changed position at almost the same moment shortly after takeoff. However, the report did not provide a clear explanation for how or why that occurred.

Air India’s chief executive, Campbell Wilson, reiterated in an internal message that reaching any conclusions about what caused the incident is premature.

He described a “cycle of theories, allegations, rumours and sensational headlines” that had circulated since the crash, many of which he claimed had since been debunked.

The preliminary report, he emphasized, had not pointed to a definitive cause nor issued any formal recommendations.

“The investigation is far from over”, he said.

“We will continue to cooperate with the investigators to ensure they have everything they need to conduct a thorough and comprehensive enquiry.”

Wilson also noted that the aircraft involved had no mechanical or maintenance issues, and that all standard inspections were completed before the journey.

Despite this, the airline decided to perform additional inspections across its entire 787 fleet shortly after the accident “out of an abundance of caution.” All aircraft passed these checks and were declared airworthy.

Flight 171 had been scheduled to operate from Ahmedabad, India, to Gatwick Airport in London.

Tragically, the aircraft crashed into a nearby medical college complex less than a minute after takeoff. The crash resulted in 260 fatalities—mostly passengers. One person, a British national, survived.

A final and more detailed report on the crash is expected within the next year.

Shubhanshu Shukla, who etched his name in history as the first Indian to ever visit the International Space Station (ISS), is now on his return journey to Earth.

A live stream on Monday showed the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission capsule detaching from the ISS with all four crew members on board. The spacecraft is expected to land in the ocean within the next 24 hours.

Commanded by seasoned spaceflight expert Peggy Whitson, the Ax-4 mission launched to the ISS on 26 June. On board were pilot Group Captain Shukla, Polish astronaut Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski, and Hungarian astronaut Tibor Kapu.

Group Captain Shukla is only the second Indian ever to journey into space. His historic trip follows that of Rakesh Sharma, who traveled aboard a Soviet Soyuz spacecraft in 1984 more than four decades ago.

Operated by Axiom Space, the Ax-4 mission represents a public-private collaboration involving the United States, India, Europe, and a private launch provider.

A post on X from the ISS account confirmed that all crew members had taken their places inside the capsule and that the spacecraft’s hatches had been sealed before undocking.

The return capsule is expected to make a controlled splashdown in the Pacific Ocean near California, where a recovery ship will be stationed to collect the crew.

India’s Minister for Science and Technology, Jitendra Singh, has announced that the landing is scheduled for 15 July at around 15:00 IST (09:30 GMT).

In an emotional message broadcast from space the day before undocking, Group Captain Shukla reflected on India’s entry into the field of human spaceflight.

“It has been an incredible journey. Even though now it is coming to an end, for you and me there is a long way to go. The journey of our human space mission is very long and difficult. But if we are determined, even the stars are attainable.”

He recalled how India’s first space traveler, Rakesh Sharma, famously quoted the 1924 patriotic Urdu song Sare Jahan Se Achha when asked how India appeared from space.

“Even today we want to know how it looks from space. I’ll tell you. From space, today’s India looks ambitious. It looks fearless. It looks confident. It looks proud. And so, I can once again say that today’s India still looks better than the rest of the world,” Group Captain Shukla said.

Originally intended as a two-week mission aboard the ISS, Ax-4 extended its stay by a few days. During their time in orbit, the team completed 60 scientific experiments, seven of which were developed by India’s space agency.

The agency had invested 5 billion rupees (approximately $59 million) for Group Captain Shukla’s seat on Ax-4, including his training and travel. Officials have noted that the knowledge and skills he has gained will be crucial for India’s future space efforts.

India has set bold targets for the coming decades, its first human spaceflight, Gaganyaan, is set for launch in 2027. Long-term plans include establishing a space station by 2035 and sending an astronaut to the Moon by 2040.

Group Captain Shukla is one of four Indian Air Force officers who were shortlisted to participate in the Gaganyaan program.

Born in Lucknow on 10 October 1985, Shukla joined the Indian Air Force in 2006 as a fighter pilot.

Over his career, he has flown a variety of aircraft including MiGs, Sukhois, Dorniers, Jaguars, and Hawks, logging more than 2,000 hours of flight time.

Reflecting on his preparation for space, he described the past year as transformative.

“It has been an amazing journey so far, but the best is yet to come,” he said. “As I go into space, I carry not just instruments and equipment, I carry hopes and dreams of a billion hearts. I request all Indians to pray for the success of our mission,” he had said.