12/22/2016 9:32 AM PST

First responders rushed to Valerie Fairman initially thinking she might have suffered a heart attack … but once on scene there were signs of possible drug abuse.

TMZ got the dispatch call to the fire dept and EMS Wednesday night in Coatesville, PA … and the call went out as a “cardiac arrest” — but about 10 minutes later the dispatcher changes the call to a “possible DOA.”

She also says paramedics are going to need containers for needles. As we’ve reported … it appears the “16 and Pregnant” star died of an overdose. She’d battled drug addiction for many years.

http://www.zergnet.com/news/1362807/16-and-pregnant-star-dead-at-23