A woman who had her hand freed from a safe on Tuesday will be stopping by Station 16 at 10 to say thank you to the firefighters in person for helping her.

Chattanooga Fire Department firefighters responded to the scene of an extrication operation that spanned several hours in Hixson on Tuesday night.

The incident happened around 8:30 p.m. at the Tiger Mart convenience store at 3504 Hixson Pike.

An employee was found sitting on the floor with her left hand and arm stuck in a cash dispensing safe. She was trying to make sure the money she deposited was secure in the machine, but then realized she could not get her hand out. Several of her fingers were caught in the tumbler on the locking mechanism.