By William Bender
The Philadelphia Daily News
UPPER DARBY, Pa. — Two firefighters were rescued early yesterday from a two-alarm blaze in Upper Darby, but a 26-year-old Honduran immigrant who had just moved into the house three weeks ago was unable to escape.
Flor DeMaria Guillen died of smoke and soot inhalation, according to the Delaware County Medical Examiner’s Office.
“We don’t know what happened,” said Guillen’s brother-in- law, Noel Palma. “She was not burnt, just black all over her face,” he said. “My wife has been crying since 1 in the morning.”
Fire officials believe that Guillen may have mistakenly walked into the basement bathroom instead of escaping out the back door.
She was found fully clothed in the bathtub, according to Palma.
“With the volume of fire and smoke, she was most likely disoriented and thought she was exiting to the rear of the house and went into a different door. That’s a possibility,” said Upper Darby Deputy Fire Chief James Johnson.
“I had a couple guys down there searching in heavy fire conditions for her, and it was just a tough situation,” he said. “They were unable to locate her initially.”
The cause of the fire was under investigation.
Palma said Guillen worked as a cook in Rosemont and had recently moved to the house on Guilford Road in Upper Darby from Maryland.
“Her mother bought the house 20 days ago and invited her to live with her,” he said. “She didn’t do drugs, she never smoked, just worked.”
“They were working on the house ever since they moved in,” said next-door neighbor Pat Williams, whose home received minor damage.
Two firefighters were temporarily trapped inside the house when the fire apparently vented itself, Johnson said.
“A ball of fire and heavy black smoke came out the front window and door, then I think the door shut and debris fell behind it,” he said.
Other firefighters had to force their way in to create an exit, he said.
Guillen’s family was grieving yesterday as they awaited more information from officials, and tried to figure out how to pay for the funeral.
“We are out of money,” said Palma, who was recently laid off.
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