While Resting, Apartment Residents Were Surprised by a Snake in a Blanket

JAKARTA - A one-meter-long snake surprised an apartment resident who was resting, before being secured by firefighters.

Residents of an apartment in Yangju, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea were shocked after finding a snake more than one meter long hiding in a blanket late at night, local authorities said on Thursday.

According to the fire department, the emergency call center 119 received a report at around 22.03 on Wednesday from an apartment resident in Deokgye-dong, Yangju, who said, "A snake came out of my blanket. It was over 1 meter long," reported The Korea Times (4/7).

The resident said he was lying in the living room when he felt something moving under the blanket. After lifting it, he was surprised to find a snake.

Firefighters responded to the incident, caught the snake and then released it in a remote riverside area far from residential areas, authorities said.

The residents did not keep the snake as a pet. No one was injured in this incident.

Authorities said the snake's skin, which had been peeled off, was found near a toilet in the resident's bathroom, suggesting the reptile may have entered the apartment through a toilet or drainpipe.

The snake is believed to be a black king snake, a non-venomous species commonly kept as pets.

It is said that adult black king snakes usually grow to about one meter in length and are considered relatively easy to care for, making them a popular choice for novice snake owners. The snakes usually live for 10 to 20 years.