MUSKEGON, MI – It wasn't something any of the Muskegon firefighters were anxious to do when their boss asked them to rescue a huge python from a burning Muskegon home Sunday evening, March 30.

But Firefighter Scott Hemmelsbach, who had experience handling the reptiles, reluctantly agreed to go into the two-story, smoke-filled house on Catherine Street and rescue the 6-foot python from its terrarium.

“He was asking all the firefighters if anyone would go in and rescue the snake, but no one wanted anything to do with it,” Hemmelsbach said. “They looked at me and said, ‘Would you do it?’”

The fire, reported around 7 p.m. on Sunday, had done significant damage to the home and the living room area where the snake was located had already filled with smoke.

“It was trying to crawl up the side of his terrarium and get out. His face was pushed up on the screen and trying to get out. There was a lot of smoke and he was trapped,” Hemmelsbach said.

“I removed the screen off the top and knew to approach it by coming up behind his head. He became very active, and I was glad because that meant that he was OK.”

Hemmelsbach said he had some experience handling pythons from his Grand Haven High School days. He said he had taken some Michigan Wildlife classes where they routinely handled pythons.

“I had some experience in my high school days showcasing them. I’d take them around and show them to the kids in the elementary classes,” he said. “That didn’t bother me at all.”

When Hemmelsbach reached the python inside the Catherine Street home, he gingerly handled him so not to scare the reptile any more than he already was.

Hemmelsbach said the python was “weighty.”

“With my left hand, I secured his head and then I just scooped him up with my right arm and cradled him in my chest and took him over to Canteen 450 where there was a very happy reunion,” he said. “I would do it for any creature. I’m just glad it had a happy ending.”

The cause of the fire remained under investigation Monday morning

Heather Lynn Peters covers police and fire, and writes a statewide food column, The Spunky Kitchen, for MLive/Muskegon Chronicle. Email her at hpeters@mlive.com and follow her on Twitter @HLPNEWS.