Anne Heche died due to smoke inhalation and thermal injuries one week after a devastating car crash on Aug. 5
Newly circulated fire department records show that Anne Heche was trapped in her vehicle for about 45 minutes before being rescued after crashing her car into a Los Angeles home last month.
On Thursday, NBC4 published timestamped audio file recordings of the Los Angeles Fire Department’s response to getting the 53-year-old actress to safety after she crashed her Mini Cooper into a house in the Mar Vista neighborhood on Aug. 5. The recordings reveal that firefighters couldn’t get to Heche’s car for at least 20 minutes, and that it took another 20 minutes to pull the vehicle from the fiery home.
The LAFD did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
“Given the heavy fire and smoke conditions, it wasn’t that you could clearly see into the vehicle or clearly be able to access it,” LAFD Deputy Chief Richard Fields told NBC4.
According to the outlet, LAFD first arrived at the scene at 11:01 a.m., where, moments later, a firefighter confirmed there was “a person stuck inside the vehicle.” (Fields clarified to the station that this was in reference to the owner of the home, not Heche.)
At 11:18 a.m., a firefighter reported that there were no other victims.
“We do have no patients at this time,” the responder said.
At 11:22 a.m., one of the incident commanders asked the firefighter to confirm their report.
“Let me clear this up, so – you do have a patient in the car?” they asked.
Three minutes later, Heche’s body was located in the vehicle, as a responder said, “We have identified one patient, inaccessible at this time, he’s pushed up against the floorboard!”
Fields clarified that the Men in Trees star was not in the driver’s seat and had collapsed below the front seats of her Mini Cooper.
“I will say that where the person was in the vehicle was not in the driver’s seat, but on the floorboard of the passenger seat,” Fields said.
Around 11:49 a.m., the actress was pulled from the wreckage.
“We have one patient in the auto, being assessed, about to be loaded up on the gurney for transport,” another firefighter said in the recording.
Heche was transported to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center and later transferred to the Grossman Burn Center at West Hills Hospital for specialized care. She died one week later due to smoke inhalation and thermal injuries, according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner.
“Today we lost a bright light, a kind and most joyful soul, a loving mother, and a loyal friend,” a rep for the star told PEOPLE in a statement on behalf of Heche’s family and friends.
“Anne will be deeply missed but she lives on through her beautiful sons, her iconic body of work, and her passionate advocacy. Her bravery for always standing in her truth, spreading her message of love and acceptance, will continue to have a lasting impact.”
Heche’s oldest son Homer, 20, also shared his grief in an exclusive statement to PEOPLE.
“My brother Atlas and I lost our Mom,” he said. “After six days of almost unbelievable emotional swings, I am left with a deep, wordless sadness. Hopefully my mom is free from pain and beginning to explore what I like to imagine as her eternal freedom.”
He went on to acknowledge the outpouring of love he and his family has received from around the world.
“Over those six days, thousands of friends, family, and fans made their hearts known to me,” he says. “I am grateful for their love, as I am for the support of my Dad, Coley, and my stepmom Alexi who continue to be my rock during this time. Rest In Peace Mom, I love you.”
[via]
