The devastating July fire that killed 10 people at a Fall River assisted living facility would have claimed more lives but for the “decisive actions by command and crews” who responded to the catastrophic scene, fire officials said Monday.

In a 27-page report, the Fall River Fire Department praised the emergency response to the Gabriel House blaze, the state’s deadliest in more than four decades, noting that the building posed “unique challenges” such as a lack of hallway fire doors and barriers to contain smoke.

“Although 10 lives were lost that night, 53 residents were rescued from the building by either being carried down ladders (27) or down hallways and stairs (26),” officials said in an executive summary of the internal report. “Without the decisive actions of the FRFD, the Fall

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