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Sunday, Jan. 16, 2005
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Internet helps save arson suspects life
LEE WILLIAMS Intervention from a Canadian resident and an Australian resident in an Internet chatroom and a quick response from local emergency crews might have made the difference between life and death for a troubled Fayette woman who allegedly doused her home with gasoline and set it aflame while still inside late Tuesday. Fayette County Department of Fire and Emergency Services Director Jack Krakeel was unsure what provoked the woman identified as 38-year-old Teresa A. Maselli, of 405 Oak Hill Drive, Fayetteville, to allegedly commit such an act. But he did indicate Maselli soon will face arson charges in connection with the crime. During a press conference 5 p.m. Thursday, Krakeel detailed the unusual events that led to the fire that broke out about 11:45 p.m. Tuesday, and the departments ultimate involvement in the alleged arson case. At 11:41 p.m. Jan. 11, Atlanta 911 received a telephone call from the Calgary, Canada, 911 Center reporting a person needing assistance with a partial address. At 11:42 p.m., that call was transferred to the Atlanta 911 Center to the Fulton County 911 Center for additional assistance, Krakeel told a small band of reporters huddled in a rain-drenched office parking lot directly across from Masellis charred gray and white home. During this transfer, additional information was obtained from the caller in Calgary giving a more descriptive address. Fulton County determined using a street index that the call more than likely was in Fayette County. At 11:45 p.m., Fayette County received a transferred 911 call from the Fulton County 911 dispatch center connecting Fayette County with the Calgary 911 dispatch center, at which time our dispatchers obtained the information to begin fire and rescue equipment to this address. Five minutes after receiving a call for help at 11:47 p.m., Fayette County Department of Fire and Emergency Services crews arrived to extinguish the purposely set fire. But prior to their arrival, Fayette County Sheriffs Deputy Shane Whitlock who was on patrol in the northern end of Fayette County heard dispatch issue a call and responded to the house that was engulfed in flames. ... At the time of his arrival [he] found a victim exiting the rear of the structure who was injured, but those injuries were not life-threatening, Krakeel told reporters. He did assist the resident out of harms way from the structure. While this was occurring, a Clayton County Emergency Medical Services unit traveling northbound on Ga. Highway 85 and returning from a patient transport from Fayette Community Hospital, also observed the fire, which was visible from Hwy. 85. They did not see any emergency services equipment, proceeded to the scene and begin rendering aid to the victim. A troubling conversation in a chatroom where people discuss topics like depression two days prior is what prompted the Canadian resident and the Australian to intervene, authorities said. It appears that approximately 48 hours preceding the fire that the occupant at this address had been involved in a chatroom conversation with multiple parties, Krakeel explained. Two of the individuals in the chatroom, one a Canadian resident and one an Australian resident recognized that there may be need for assistance to this individual. The Australian resident who we have not been able to contact was able during the course of the evening and we believe to be in a timeframe somewhere between 11:30 p.m. and 11:40 p.m. to get a cell number from the resident at this address in order to converse one-on-one with the resident. While the Australian resident spoke to Maselli, who lived in the home with her husband who was not at home at the time, the caller heard an explosion. While trying to continue the conversation to ascertain the status of the person at the residence she also communicated electronically with the other participant in the chatroom about the need for acquiring emergency services to this resident, Krakeel said. The resident in Calgary then notified her local 911 center who with limited information knew the call was somewhere in Georgia in the metro Atlanta area preceded to contact the Atlanta 911 center. Those are the events leading up to this situation. Krakeel said he couldnt comment on whether Maselli was mentally ill or what her state-of-mind was prior to the fire. Maselli, who remains hospitalized at Piedmont Fayette Hospital has not been charged, but Krakeel said his department, who is working in conjunction with the Fayette County Sheriffs Department, will take the appropriate legal action at the appropriate time. One woman who worked across the street from the Maselli home called the incident sad. Its sad. Its really sad that anybody would do that, said the McDonough woman who would only identify herself as Tonya. The mindset of many people in this day and time is can you say Hell bent. Tonya said she heard about the unusual circumstances about the case and she wonders. I think its more to the story than we will ever know about, Tonya said. But its really sad. |
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