Spotted in the cellar

“Dangerous snake” sent woman into a panic

The supposed snake was released outside(Bild: FF Oberndorf)

A woman excitedly called the Oberndorf (Salzburg) fire department on Monday: a snake in the cellar! But the animal quickly turned out to be harmless ...

Ten members of the Oberndorf volunteer fire department were called out on Monday morning because a snake had supposedly been found in the cellar of an agitated homeowner in the Ziegelhaiden district.

The Floriani also searched the remaining rooms for another "intruder".(Bild: FF Oberndorf)

Major operation due to snake
The Floriani deployed with a fire engine and a command vehicle, with ten firefighters on board. Nine other Floriani were on standby at the fire station.

The "snake" turned out to be a completely harmless and non-poisonous slow worm, which is actually a lizard.(Bild: FF Oberndorf)

On site, however, the fire department quickly realized that the snake was just a harmless and non-poisonous slow worm. The animals actually spend the cold months in frost-proof holes in the ground, where they fall into a state of torpor. They only come to the surface again in April. With its long legless body, the slow worm looks similar to a snake, but is a lizard.

The fire department collected the animal and released it outside. After searching the rest of the basement, they moved back in.