4 takeaways: Massachusetts fire sprinkler inspections rely on flawed 'honor system'

After a deadly fire at the Gabriel House assisted living facility in Fall River killed 10 people this summer, a MassLive investigation published last month revealed critical loopholes in the fire sprinkler inspection system in Massachusetts.

The reporting highlighted a haphazard “honor system,” significant staffing shortages in fire departments and a lack of centralized oversight, all of which can compromise public safety.

These are four takeaways from MassLive’s reporting .

1. Inspections rely on a flawed ‘honor system’

At the core of Massachusetts’ fire safety oversight for sprinkler systems is a model that places the legal responsibility of inspections and maintenance on building owners, who most often hire contractors to do the work.

Fire departments, often lacking the resou