10 apartments evacuated after venomous snake escapes terrarium

Ten apartments were evacuated in a building after a venomous snake escaped from its terrarium, said firefighters in Germany.

The owner of a small but venomous reptile species had alerted the authorities after noticing the missing six-month-old South African coral snake from its terrarium on Monday morning, said the Cologne Fire Department.

10 apartments were evacuated to search the reptile, whereas, the firefighters expressed concerns that the snake which releases a nerve poison in one bite could end up outdoors, where cold temperatures would likely send it into a hibernation-like state.

After conducting a three-hour search, the snake was finally spotted and captured in a food-baited trap and returned to its terrarium. The residents were later allowed to return to their home after the recovery of the venomous snake.