A tiny cry for help was heard by a concerned citizen who called Southfield Fire Department for assistance. The cry came from a kitten who was stuck in an underground pipe.

The trapped and frightened kitten continued to cry out in hopes that help was on the way. Lieutenant Kiah, Firefighter/Paramedic Ballew and Acting Driver Engineer Siburt arrived on the scene. They took in their surroundings and located the pipe the kitten wandered down. 

It took some unconventional thinking to come up with a rescue plan. The department shared, "Firefighters are often known for their ingenuity and ability to 'think outside the box' when on emergency calls and this crew is no different."

Rescuers quickly realized they would not be able to get inside the narrow pipe and needed to find another tool to insert into the pipe to help retrieve the kitten. They decided on a shop vac and were able to safely remove the kitten from the pipe.

A photo of the rescued kitten with the three firefighters was shared on the department's Facebook page and they wrote, "We’re happy to report the cat is doing fine. Great work guys and what a purr-fect ending to the story."