[FL] Deputy's girlfriend, ex-Officer Pamela Dassdorf: "The television blew up... I can't put the fire out..."

...A Palm Beach County sheriff's deputy's girlfriend was killed in an early-morning house fire Thursday after calling 911 to say her television was on fire... Manak, who owns the home, was there until about midnight Wednesday when he left to go to his father's home a block away... "She was a nice person and I'm sorry this had to happen,” said her roomate and friend Palm Beach County Deputy Edward J. Manak who has known Dassdorf for more than 30 years...

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DEPUTY'S HOUSE CATCHES FIRE, KILLS LONGTIME FRIEND NEAR LAKE CLARKE SHORES
Palm Beach Post
By SONJA ISGER and CHRISTINA DeNARDO
Thursday, August 27, 2009
[Excerpts] A former Palm Beach County Sheriff's deputy died in an early morning house fire after the television apparently caught fire and she could not put it out. The woman, whose name has not been released until her family has been notified, shared the home on the 2600 block of Nassau Road in the Bahama Heights neighborhood, with friend and sheriff's deputy Ed Manak who she has known for decades. Manak, 59, said left the house about midnight to visit his father who lives nearby. About 6 a.m., he was called by a neighbor who said there were fire trucks in front of his home.... According to the sheriff's office, the woman called 911 and told them the television was on fire and she could not put it out. Manak arrived at his home to see several fire trucks. He assumed his friend had gotten out of the home, but her car was still there... During a second search of the home, firefighters found the 63-year-old woman in a bathroom... This morning, investigators were trying to figure out which television he owned caught on fire... Neighbor Mike Toohey said Manak and the woman have lived in the home for about a decade. Toohey said the early morning blaze was intense. He could hear the crackling of the fire... [Full article here]

BODY FOUND IN FIRE AT PALM SPRINGS HOUSE OF PBSO DEPUTY
Orlando Sentinel
By C. Ron Allen
August 27, 2009
[Excerpts] The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office is investigating an early morning fatal fire at a deputy's home... Shortly before 6 a.m., Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue officials were called to the house... A woman had called from the home saying that a television was on fire and she could not put it out. The rear of the home became engulfed in flames and the victim was found in the bathroom next to a bedroom... Sheriff's Deputy Eric Davis has identified the victim as Pamela Dassdorf... The fire appears to be accidental at this point. Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue arson officials are investigating... [Full article here]

LOCAL WOMAN CALLS 9-1-1 JUST BEFORE PERISHING IN A HOUSE FIRE
cbs12.com
August 27, 2009 5:51 PM
[Excerpts] Caller: We have a fire!
Dispatch: Is it the house that's on fire?
Caller: The television blew up.
Dispatch: Get everybody out of the house…we'll be right there.
Caller: I can't put the fire out.
Dispatch: The fire is out? Ma'am… Ma'am….ma'am…are you still there?
Those were the last words of 63-year-old Pamela Dassdorf. Authorities say her analog TV malfunctioned... Officials believe she died of smoke inhalation. "She was a nice person and I'm sorry this had to happen,” said her roomate and friend Palm Beach County Deputy Edward J. Manak who has known Dassdorf for more than 30 years. Officials are calling this fire accidental, but are still working to determine just how it began. Authorities and fire officials continue their investigation. [Full article here]

DEPUTY'S GIRLFRIEND KILLED AFTER TV CATCHES FIRE
WOMAN CALLS 911, FOUND DEAD IN BATHROOM
wpbf.com
August 27, 2009
[Excerpts] A Palm Beach County sheriff's deputy's girlfriend was killed in an early-morning house fire Thursday after calling 911 to say her television was on fire... Deputies said Dassdorf lived at the home with the deputy, who was visiting his sick father at the time of the fire. "It's a very sad day for us because, obviously, it involves one of our own," Lt. Marco Martinez said. "It's a very sad thing to see, especially when someone that you've know for many years loses a loved one, and especially a tragic situation like today." Arson investigators are trying to determine the cause of the fire, but a preliminary investigation indicates it was accidental. [Full article here]

Deputy's house near Lake Clarke Shores catches on fire, kills longtime friend
Palm Beach Post
By BY Christina Denardo and Sonja Isger
Thursday, August 27, 2009
[Excerpts] The first time firefighters searched the scorched rooms before sunrise today, they couldn't find anyone. They were looking for Pamela Dassdorf, who called 911 after a television caught fire. She said she couldn't put it out... During a second search of the single-story home on Nassau Road, south of Forest Hill Boulevard and east of Congress Avenue, firefighters found Dassdorf, 63, dead in a bathroom. It's unclear why she didn't leave after the fire started, but one law enforcement official said she may have panicked... Manak, who owns the home, was there until about midnight Wednesday when he left to go to his father's home a block away... Around 6 a.m. today, a neighbor called to say fire trucks were in front of his house. Manak met Dassdorf 30 years ago while serving as her sergeant when she was a rookie when both worked for a small police department in Broward County. She briefly worked for the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office as a road patrol officer in 1986 before resigning after four months, according to the sheriff's office... [Full article here]

While looking things up I ran across some old news on Deputy Malak, 2 incidents that made their way to the news, both dealing with truthfulness:

[2001] A sheriff's deputy faces disciplinary action for circulating an "untruthful" petition... "My issue is not with Deputy Manak 's cause, but with truth," [Col. William] Tremer wrote...[2004] A Palm Beach County sheriff's deputy has been slapped with a 20-day suspension and placed on probation after an internal affairs investigation concluded that he deceived US Airways last year into believing he was authorized to bring a gun onto a plane.
[police officer involved law enforcement fatality fatalities Florida state politics pbcso pbso accidental accident murder law enforcement unsolved unresolved]