This Fat Rat Got Stuck in a Manhole and Required a Full Rescue Team
On a winter afternoon in 2019, emergency services in the German town of Bensheim received a call that stood out. A rat had wedged itself halfway through a manhole cover and could not move in either direction. Passersby spotted the animal stuck at the hips, visibly alive, squeaking, and unable to free itself.
An animal rescue worker arrived first and quickly realized the situation required more help. The rat’s size and the narrow opening turned a simple extraction into a technical problem. Volunteer firefighters were called in under a standard “small animal rescue” alert, even though the scene looked anything but routine.
Small Animal, Big Response
About eight firefighters responded, arriving with a firetruck and full protective gear. They assessed the manhole and lifted the heavy cover using wedges to avoid injuring the animal. One rescuer secured the rat with a looped pole while another carefully worked a gloved hand underneath its body.
The process took patience. The rat struggled, the opening remained tight, and every movement had to be controlled. After several minutes, the firefighters managed to free the animal without causing harm. It was a roughly 25-minute operation, according to local fire officials.
Once freed, the rat showed no visible injuries. Rescue workers released it back into the sewer system, which is where it had come from. Before that happened, photos were taken showing the rat peering out of the manhole, its midsection clearly explaining why it had become stuck in the first place.
Animal rescuer Michael Sehr later explained that the rat had likely gained extra weight during winter, a common occurrence for urban wildlife. The added bulk turned a familiar exit route into an unexpected trap.
Why Rescuers Took The Call Seriously
Some observers questioned why firefighters would devote time and equipment to a sewer rat. The response from the rescue team remained that every animal in distress deserves help when possible.
The moment stayed with locals. A young girl who had witnessed the rescue later presented the animal rescue team with a drawing of a rat surrounded by hearts, along with a handwritten thank-you note. The rat disappeared back into the tunnels beneath Bensheim, and the firefighters packed up their gear.