A pre-dawn fireworks fire in North Las Vegas damaged two homes this summer, but everyone inside escaped before the flames could do even worse. Now, one family is trying to find the stranger whose warning got them out in time.
The fire erupted Sunday, July 5, at about 4:51 a.m. in the 2600 block of Old Town Drive. According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, North Las Vegas fire investigators determined the blaze was accidentally started by the improper discharge and use of commercial-grade fireworks, causing roughly $500,000 in total damage.
The Shabtai family's home sustained damage to its patio cover, windows, doors, landscaping, east wall and soffit, while the neighboring home suffered major damage to its west wall, roof and interior. Lilac Shabtai also told KTNV that she suffered minor burns to her hand, neck and forehead, while the neighboring family remains displaced during repairs.
Nearly a month later, Shabtai's family is still searching for the man who intervened. The Review-Journal reported that the stranger was driving along a nearby road with his girlfriend when he spotted the fire, turned into the neighborhood, pounded on the front door and yelled a warning before staying long enough to help the family escape.
A Mystery Good Samaritan In The Early-Morning Flames
The family does not know the stranger's name or where he came from, but Shabtai called him “godsent” and said she wants to thank him. She has even said she plans to take the man and his girlfriend out to dinner if the family can track them down.
Shabtai's father, who is 82, and her baby nephew were among those who made it out of the burning home. In an interview with KTNV, she described lingering fear after the blaze, saying ordinary sounds such as a ringing doorbell, a barking dog or someone yelling outside can bring the family back to that morning.
North Las Vegas Fireworks Rules Leave Little Room For Error
North Las Vegas' adopted fire code prohibits the possession, manufacture, storage, sale, handling and use of fireworks, with exceptions for permitted displays and approved consumer “safe and sane” fireworks. The city's fire code amendments also outline permitting and safety requirements for authorized pyrotechnic activity.
The fire came during a holiday weekend that brought hundreds of fireworks-related emergencies across Southern Nevada, including two fireworks-related house fires to which the North Las Vegas Fire Department responded this year, according to KTNV. For the Shabtai family, however, the most important part of the story remains the unknown driver who saw danger, stopped, and knocked.
