Not sure if it was a gunshot, she quickly learned it was a fireworks explosion gone wrong, but was more startled when her dog returned with part of a missing hand in its mouth.
The ordeal unfolded around 3.30pm when Cheri Steigert heard a big boom and was informed a man blew off part of his hand with a firecracker, losing at least two of his fingers, WBBM-TV reported.
Cheri Steigert, a Chicago nurse, (pictured with her dog) was sleeping on Thursday afternoon when she heard a big boom and was informed that a man blew off part of his hand with a firecracker, losing at least two of his fingers
The fireworks explosion occurred on the side street above. Steigert initially thought it was a gunshot, but learned a 39-year-old man had been injured in a fireworks accident'This is the first fourth of July I've had off in three years... and now I've got body parts flying in my yard,' she told the station.
About three hours after the accident, Steigert said she let her three-year-old pit bull mix Fergie out in the yard, who returned with an object in her mouth and dropped it.
Steigert said she initially thought it was a rabbit but when she went to pick it up, she found out it was the missing part of the 39-year-old injured victim's hand.
The limb was found about 250 feet away at Steigert's home and fire officials said the man's hand was blown off with a firework equivalent to a half-stick of dynamite, according to WBBM-TV.
She alerted authorities and the unidentified man was taken to Lutheran General Hospital.
About three hours after the accident, Steigert let her three-year-old pit bull mix Fergie (pictured) out in the yard, who returned with the limb in her mouth
Following the accident, Steigert alerted authorities and the unidentified man was taken to Lutheran General Hospital