Mississippi
Mississippi Coast firefighters wrestle alligator that showed up on a doorstep during Francine
This story was first published by the Sun Herald. Read more here.
A Mississippi Coast homeowner got a wild surprise as Hurricane Francine tore through Wednesday evening.
The Pass Christian resident’s dog was barking wildly at the door. Despite the gusting winds and pelting rain as Francine moved in, the homeowner investigated and found an alligator in the yard.
Pass Christian firefighters responded to the call. When firefighter Jeffrey Klemmer arrived, colleagues were already at the house on East Second Street.
Sure enough, there was what Klemmer estimated to be a 6-foot gator.
Firefighter Marcos Chacon and fire Capt. Andy Purchner threw a tarp over the gator. Then Chacon gamely straddled the animal while Purchner taped its mouth shut.
“You can imagine the alligator was pretty angry at that point,” Klemmer said.
The firefighters wrangled the gator into the back of the truck “and off he went.” They released the gator in a habitat more to his — and the homeowner’s — liking.
Rain poured down the whole time.