Massive alligator pulled from storm drain in Florida neighborhood

March 22 (UPI) -- Trappers in Florida managed to pull a massive alligator out of a storm drain in a residential neighborhood near Tampa.

John Ruel witnessed the removal of the giant reptile, and said the gator got stuck while trying to crawl out of a sewer on Camberley Lane in his neighborhood in Oldsmar, Fla.

The trapper initially struggled to free the alligator, which appeared to be about 9 feet long, from the tight space between the street and the sidewalk.

Ruel said he had to push the gator back into the storm drain and try for the manhole instead.

The gator was ultimately pulled from the hole unharmed and relocated.

"We were happy he was rescued and that he wasn't hurt," Ruel said.