Ducklings rescued from mid-highway storm drain

April 17 (UPI) -- Firefighters in British Columbia came to the rescue of a family of eight ducklings that fell down a storm drain in the middle of a highway.

The North Vancouver City Fire Department said a witness saw the ducklings fall down the storm drain in the middle of Highway 1, near Westview Shopping Center, after 8 p.m. Thursday.

"A passerby actually saw the parent of these ducklings get hit on the highway and she saw the ducklings go down into a storm drain in the middle of the highway," Assistant Fire Chief Andrew Payne told the North Shore News. "She actually stopped and tried to get them out of the storm drain herself on the highway."

Police shut down a lane of traffic to allow firefighters to conduct a rescue.

"A tow truck driver actually assisted to get the manhole cover off. It was a large manhole cover," Payne said.

The eight ducklings were extracted from the drain and taken in by the SPCA. Officials said the young birds appear to be in good health.