CATOOSA COUNTY, Ga. — Officials in Catoosa County say one young man saved a family from a dangerous fire on the 4th of July.
The homeowner tells us the good Samaritan noticed the fire which started with some fireworks thrown in the trash, while he was driving by.
A young man came quickly to her door to warn her about the fire, as it was spreading up toward the roof of their house.
Thanks to that warning, firefighters were able to quickly respond and put out the flames.
Paula Prak says her mind was spinning when a young man named Logan Hanson pounded on her door to tell her about the flames.
On Facebook, Logan’s mother says her son “stopped in the middle of the road, threw on his emergency brake, called 911, and beat on this family’s door for a couple of minutes telling them their house was on fire and to get out!!!” She says “They were almost asleep and had no idea!”
I have my animals, so of course, I had wanted to get them out too but my first thing was my son, my husband was already on his way out, you know, just getting back there and finding my son,” says Prak.
The fire broke out about 30 minutes after Prak had a fun night at the house celebrating America’s independence.
She says just like every year, her husband poured water over the fireworks before putting it in the trash can.
But some of those fireworks had a mind of their own.
Prak says while it looks bad, it could have been worse — if it wasn’t for Logan.
“He was able to save the home by making sure that 911 was notified as quickly as possible, by using a water hose to help suppress the fire,” said Catoosa County Spokesman John Pless.
Prak says she hopes to repay Logan for his lifesaving act one day.
We would love to do something for him, you know, down the line, once we can get everything all set up and started…. It’s not something you can really repay somebody for.
Logan’s mom recounted what happened on her Facebook page:
When it comes to disposing of fireworks at your home, the Chattanooga Fire Department shares these tips…
- Soak the fireworks (completely): The first step is to completely submerge fireworks in a bucket of water for at least 15 minutes. They need to soak until they are fully saturated, which can take anywhere from 15 minutes (for small fireworks) to overnight (for large fireworks). In this case, longer is always going to be better.
- Wrap them up: The next step is to double wrap your soaked fireworks in either plastic wrap or two plastic bags. The key here is making sure your fireworks don’t dry out, as they need to remain saturated to safely dispose of them. The bags will ensure that they maintain moisture.
- Disposal: Once you have double wrapped your completely soaked fireworks in plastic, they are safe to dispose of. Since fireworks are not considered hazardous waste, you can place them in your household trash or take them to a landfill. You could also dispose of them in a roll off dumpster rental, alongside any other household waste or unwanted junk that you’re looking to get rid of.
Lastly, don’t be afraid to contact your local solid waste facility. Some jurisdictions offer other disposal options, and it could be beneficial to know what is available in your community.