Madisonville sees a hero in Charles Hargis

By Elizabeth Ashby

St. Tammany News

Charles Hargis of Madisonville looks at the charred remains of his neighbor's house as he relives the night of the fire on March 26 and getting his neighbors, Chris and Kelly Anderson, and their two young sons, out alive. When he isn't saving lives, Hargis co-owns and operates Mardi Gras Mortgage and is vice president of the Madisonville Chamber of Commerce. (Staff Photo by Elizabeth Ashby)

Resident and businessman Charles Hargis' life changed in an instant when he saved the lives of several neighbors in Madisonville during an evening blaze March 26.

Around 8 p.m., Hargis went outside of his Mabel Street home on the Tchefuncte River to secure his boat with new rope he purchased the day before.

When he finished, he turned around and walked toward his house, and his cell phone rang.

As he talked on the phone to his wife, Maggie, who was inside the house, he noticed a glimmer coming from his neighbor's garage. At a second look, he realized a red four-wheeler parked in the garage beneath the home was engulfed in flames. He told her to call the fire department immediately.

After an unsuccessful attempt to reach his neighbors, Chris and Kelly Anderson, by phone, Hargis said he started pounding on their door until they answered. The Anderson family, which includes young sons Chase and Cole, were able to get out unharmed.

Hargis then went to the other house flanking the engulfed house to wake up that neighbor. Hargis' quick thinking possibly saved the entire street, on which the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Maritime Museum is located. When the Madisonville Fire Department arrived, Hargis and others were using his garden hose to subdue the fire.

"It seemed like it took forever but probably only lasted 10 minutes," Hargis said. "I'm glad I was here and happened to be out at my boat. Otherwise, I don't know what would have happened."

When the last ember was extinguished, the Anderson house was a pile of rubble and ashes and the Hargis house sustained a lot of damage as well. Several windows cracked because of the intense flames, siding buckled and melted and the roof was damaged. The Hargis home was newly renovated four days before the fire. Fortunately, no one was injured in the blaze. Hargis said he hasn't spoken to the family since that night but thinks about what happened often.

"That night was really weird because I didn't panic," he said. "I just focused on remaining calm and making sure everyone was alright. We all were so blessed because it could have turned out so much worse."

Hargis credits the fast action taken by the Madisonville Fire Department and assisting fire crews for what they did to put out the inferno.

"The fire department did a fantastic job," he said, adding that he pitched in to help unroll hose and assisted fire fighters any way he could while disregarding the herd of residents who filled the grassy knoll to watch what was happening in their small town.

Hargis said people have told him that smoke could be seen from both the Causeway and Abita Springs, and he has been told it was the largest fire in Madisonville's history. Looking back on it, he said the flames reached higher than his 60-foot tall house.

On the night following the fire at the Madisonville Chamber of Commerce meeting, locals couldn't stop commenting on Hargis' heroic efforts.

After their home, like others around it, took on several feet of water in both hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the Hargises had worked for months securing contractors to repair storm damage.

Now he is working on getting his home fixed again so they can move back in by mid-April. Hargis and his family have been living in a local hotel until repairs are complete.

Now known as a hero in his small town, Hargis wants to focus on his work and family. Hargis co-owns Mardi Gras Mortgage on Covington Street in Madisonville with his wife. He is a mortgage consultant and notary.

When he isn't making an impact in his community, this alumnus of West Jefferson High School in Harvey is either fishing, working out or spending time with his wife and three daughters, 20-year-old Maggie, 18-year-old Kasie and 16-year-old Hilarie, all of whom Hargis and his wife adopted after they wed eight years ago.

In addition, the Hargis family includes two boxers named Rhea and Cane, a poodle named Cleopatra, a parrot named Bella and three cats named Gray, Fluffy and Black Jack.

Hargis was with the Air National Guard for eight years with aspirations of becoming a military pilot. Once things settle down, Hargis said he plans to finish the last 20 hours of his marketing and management degree at Southeastern Louisiana University.

A self-professed Cajun, Hargis said his involvement as an ambassador with the West St. Tammany Chamber of Commerce helped him take an active role in Madisonville.

As current vice president of the Madisonville Chamber of Commerce and a member of Church of the King, Hargis also coaches the Madisonville Monsters, a 7-8-year-old youth football team. He proudly tells the story of how his team beat teams in Abita and Covington to take home the championship title during this year's tournament.

Sometime down the road, Hargis said he would like to get involved with Madisonville's Town Council.

"After I went through the leadership program with the St. Tammany West Chamber, I wanted to get involved in my own back yard (Madisonville)," he said. "Someone's got to take care of the back yard and ensure that children have a good quality of life."