1. Skip to content
  2. Skip to main menu
  3. Skip to more DW sites

Firefighters rescue squirrel from manhole cover

Rebecca Staudenmaier
June 20, 2019

Firefighters in the city of Dortmund were called upon to help a red squirrel in need of rescue. But with its head firmly stuck in the manhole cover, rescuers had to get creative in order to free the distressed animal.

https://p.dw.com/p/3KmX5
A squirrel caught in a manhole cover in Dortmund, Germany
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/Feuerwehr Dortmund

A squirrel trying to get out of a sewer system in the western German city of Dortmund found itself in a sticky situation on Thursday morning.

More specifically, the squirrel's head firmly stuck in a manhole cover.

Dortmund firefighters were alerted to the distressed animal around 10:30 a.m. local time, authorities said in a statement.

After several attempts to free the squirrel on site failed, firefighters had to get creative.

The team ended up removing the entire manhole cover — with the squirrel still stuck inside — and took it to a veterinary office.

The veterinary team was able to safely remove the squirrel from the manhole cover after sedating the critter.

According to firefighters, the squirrel sustained "minor injuries" on its neck and will remain in the veterinary office to receive further treatment.

In February, firefighters in the German town of Bensheim freed a sewer rat from a similar predicament. The rat had a little too much "winter fat" and was stuck as well in a manhole cover, but was able to be pushed through.

Every evening, DW sends out a selection of the day's news and features. Sign up here.