Three tiny kittens in Florida are safe after firefighters pulled off an unusual and adorable rescue from inside a car’s exhaust pipe.
The rescue happened Thursday, May 21, in the Port Richey area, according to Pasco County Fire Rescue.
Officials said the C-shift crew from Station 3 responded after three fuzzy black kittens somehow ended up stuck inside the small exhaust pipe of a vehicle.
The crew arrived with a full fire engine and quickly got to work. Photos from the scene show one firefighter lying on the gravel behind the car, reaching under the vehicle while trying to carefully coax the little kittens out.
It was not exactly the kind of emergency firefighters respond to every day.
The kittens had managed to squeeze into a tight space that is only about 2 to 2.5 inches wide, making the rescue delicate and tricky.
“On Thursday, our C-Shift crew from Station 3 sprang into action for a rescue that was equal parts unexpected and adorable,” Pasco County Fire Rescue wrote on Facebook.
“Thanks to the team’s quick thinking, steady hands, and big hearts, all three were safely freed.”
After the kittens were rescued, they were placed in a cozy area lined with fluffy towels so they could stretch out and recover from the ordeal.
It is not clear how long the kittens had been trapped inside the exhaust pipe or how they ended up there in the first place.
But judging by the photos, the tiny trio looked more than ready for a nap after their big adventure.
Local station 10 Tampa Bay reported that Pasco County Fire Rescue later connected with a Good Samaritan who took the kittens into their care.
“Pasco County Fire Rescue is always grateful for the opportunity to help someone in need, no matter how small,” the agency said in a statement.
“Our crews were glad to assist in this unusual situation and we’re thankful the kittens were safely rescued from the vehicle.”
For the firefighters, it was a small rescue with a big dose of cuteness.
For the kittens, it was the end of one very cramped adventure and the beginning of a much safer chapter.