Utility 691 Responds to Animal Rescue

The department was dispatched to investigate an animal trapped in a first floor apartment wall. The animal had been trapped there since Friday when the resident called 9-1-1 to report the incident. The first arriving crew made a visual inspection of the interior and exterior of the 1st floor apartment. They could hear the animals cries for help. A small hole was made in the interior wall of the adjacent room to insert the inspection camera. The crew was able to locate and identify what appeared to be a racoon. The crews cut two 12 X 12 openings in the drywall on both sides of the wall. A cage and tarp were brought in to capture the animal once it was released. A closer investigation found that there were two animals laying on top of one another, and both were wedged between the water and drain pipes and were unable to free themselves. Firefighter Nick Cunningham reached in and removed both animals by pushing them, one at a time, through the wall opening into the waiting arms of Firefighter Matt Meyers. The animals were removed and were weak and dehydrated from being trapped in the wall for 3 days. Firefighter Marcellina Cunningham located a wildlife refuge in Marlton that would care for the animals.