Firefighters save snakes from burning Auburn attic

AUBURN — It may sound like a B-grade movie, but it was all too real for Maine firefighters who encountered “snakes in an attic.”

Firefighters in Auburn learned upon responding to an attic fire Monday morning that a tenant was keeping 25 to 30 ball pythons in the attic.

Capt. Scott Hunter tells WMTW-TV that firefighters rescued about half of the snakes after being told they were not poisonous.

Firefighters believe a heater used to keep the snakes warm caused the fire. The snakes’ owner told firefighters he kept the reptiles as pets.

One national pet chain’s website says ball pythons are more docile than others and smaller, growing to 4-5 feet long as adults. They get their name from the fact that they curl into a ball when under stress.

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