An 18-year-old Waterbury teen has been hailed a hero for saving the lives of a family of four.

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Justin Gavin happened to be walking down Main St. in Waterbury last Wednesday when he spotted a car on fire, according to Capt. Michael Dasilva of the Waterbury Police Department. This is what he told the Hartford Courant:

Without concern for his own safety, Justin ran over to the burning car and opened the door to allow the woman to escape. He then noticed three children in the car. As the fire escalated, Justin pulled all three out of the car including a one-year-old baby buckled in a car seat.

Justin was able to pull the mom and her three kids to safety just before flames engulfed their car. When Waterbury Police Chief, Fernando Spagnolo, learned that Justin had put his life on the line to save four lives, he invited the teen to his office later that same afternoon to celebrate his heroic actions.

Chief Spagnolo gave Justin a special coin saying, "I hope that when you have that coin, it just reminds you of this day and you can reflect back on all the good that came out of this for you and the family you saved."

SAFETY PROTOCOL FOR CONNECTICUT COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

 

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