Virginia Firefighters Couldn't Find 9-1-1 Caller

May 25, 2007
A woman killed in Wednesday's fire in Lorton, Va. was on the phone with 911 during some of her final moments.

LORTON, Va.-- 9NEWS NOW has learned that the woman killed in Wednesday's fire in Lorton, Va. was on the phone with 911 during some of her final moments.

Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department spokesman Dan Schmidt confirmed that 49 year old Debra Elaine Chiles talked to a call taker at the Department of Public Safety Communications for "several minutes." According to Schmidt, 911 workers relayed to firefighters that a woman was trapped on the third floor.

Dan Schmidt said firefighters arrived on the scene at 1:07 a.m., about 7 minutes after the first call to 911. Schmidt also confirmed that firefighters could not find Debra Chiles in their initial search of the three story townhouse. Debra Chiles was found in a third floor bathroom during a secondary search.

Dan Schmidt couldn't say how much time had elapsed before Debra Chiles was discovered. Schmidt did say it was long enough that firefighters did not attempt to revive her.

Investigators determined that a microwave oven caused the fire. Debra Chiles's adult son, Aaron, told 9NEWS NOW that he awoke to find the microwave oven and kitchen cabinets on fire. Aaron Chiles said he tried to make it up to the third floor to reach his mother but was driven back by smoke and heat.

The dead woman's boyfriend is still hospitalized after he fell from a third floor window during the fire.

Republished with permission of WUSA-TV.

Voice Your Opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of Firehouse, create an account today!