ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) — A South Georgia man is drawing widespread praise online after he stopped to help battle a car fire and helped save the owner’s belongings before firefighters arrived.

Grant Belk, who owns a pressure washing business in Albany, said he was traveling for work when he noticed what looked like smoke coming from an SUV on the shoulder.

“All of a sudden, I look up and on the side of the road... You can see this Yukon sitting on the side of the road with smoke coming off of it,” Belk said. “There were no flames or anything when we first saw it… As we got closer, all of a sudden, it started igniting and really catching fire.”

Belk said he got off the phone with his wife and pulled over, hoping he might have a little water left in his pressure washing tank.

“I said, ‘Hey, let me jump off the phone real quick. I’m gonna pull over. I don’t know if I’ve got any water, but there’s a car on fire. I’m going to see if we can… help and try to put it out,’” Belk said.

Belk owns Southern Soft Wash in Albany. He said he typically does not travel with water in his tanks on long trips, which made what happened next even more surprising.

“I was like, maybe there’ll be a little bit [of water] leftover… I didn’t even look in the tank. I just grabbed the hose and started throwing water on [the fire]… But now in hindsight, looking back, it was like, man, where’d all that water come from?” Belk explained.

Belk said there was a man inside the vehicle when he arrived who was panicking and told him there were oxygen tanks inside.

“He was really panicking... [He was] like, ‘It’s going to blow up… there’s oxygen tanks,’” Belk said.

Belk said the fire department arrived as the fire was dying down. He said his water ran out almost the moment the flames were fully out.

“We actually start running out of water right as the fire’s completely out,” Belk said. “I’m literally to the last drop… It was the perfect amount of water in the tank.”

Community reaction pours in

As word spread online, people across South Georgia and Middle Georgia flooded social media with messages praising Belk’s actions.

Comments included:

• “In a tough situation, this person showed kindness and did their best with what they had. Kudos to them and the firefighters for getting there when they did.”
• “You did a fine job, sir! Everybody can’t be an expert like some think they are! We need more folks like you in this world!”

Belk said he appreciates the support, but he doesn’t see himself as a hero.

“I wouldn’t say that it’s any type of hero thing,” Belk said. “It’s just doing what people should do… You see somebody need help… It’s not about chasing clout or chasing recognition. It’s about, ‘I can do something to help. Let me help.’"

He also said he hopes the moment is a lesson for others—especially his children.

“I want to set an example… for my children that… when a situation arises and you have the ability to do something, to help someone, you choose to help them,” Belk said.

What we’re still working to confirm

Officials have not yet released full details about the incident, including the exact location, what sparked the fire and the extent of the damage.

WALB has requested the following:

• The fire department incident report
• The exact location of the fire
• The cause of the fire (if determined)
• A timeline from dispatch to firefighter arrival
• Confirmation from fire officials about what was saved and Belk’s actions on the scene

Safety reminder

Fire officials routinely remind people to call 911 and keep a safe distance from active fires. If you stop to help at an emergency scene, experts advise staying alert to traffic and heat and following instructions from first responders when they arrive.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as we learn more.

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