Employee Accused Of Trying To Burn Down Stillwater Business Twice

Recently filled court documents reveal new details in a case of first-degree arson.

Back on June 21, 2018, over 60 employees were evacuated from The Repair Depot off West 44th Street after smelling and seeing smoke in the business.

Investigators say 35-year Desirae Darlene Carrier was taken into custody weeks later after she confessed to starting two fires, just hours apart, at her place of employment.

Staff describe the initial fire in a 911 call: 

• 911 OP: Stillwater 911. Where is your emergency? 
• CALLER: Yes, there is smoke coming from the ceiling.
• 911 OP: Are you seeing flames at all or just smoke? 
• CALLER: Just smoke, but it is getting heavier.

Employees evacuated the building, but later found signs of fire damage in the women’s restroom.

It appears someone pulled wiring from inside the ceiling and tried to burn it.

Those wires were connected to a security camera that was placed in a different area of the warehouse.

Firefighters gave the all clear, but within moments they were evacuated again.

“40 to 45 minutes later, when everyone was back in the building, we had an employee, very nonchalantly, notice some flames,” says Director of The Repair Depot, Billy Bean.

The second fire was in a completely different location than the first.

Staff call for 911 again, and soon investigators locate security footage of a suspect.

Deputies say Carrier confessed to the fires, and claimed she was "upset with unsafe working conditions" and "made a complaint to OSHA but had seen no improvements."

A claim director Billy Bean says is unfounded.

“Not in the slightest, and we have actually discussed with other employees, was there any discussion that was going on internally that hadn't bubbled up yet, and nothing.” says Bean. “OSHA has had inspectors there, looked at it and said, nothing urgent.”

Bean says a minor infraction was with the eye-washing station they had. Some cleaning solutions didn’t meet code.

“The solutions had expired and we were not even aware they expired. We have all tried to do everything we can to keep employees safe,” he says.

Bean adds the day after the fire, Carrier resigned her position.

She was taken into the Payne County jail on two counts of first degree arson.