Plastic spider prompts fire brigade call at children’s playground

The volunteer fire brigade in Hinterbrühl, in the Mödling district, was called out on Thursday evening after a suspected tarantula was reported at a children’s playground, ORF reported.

The brigade was alerted at around 6.30pm for what was described as an animal rescue. The callout information read “tarantula at children’s playground”.

After an initial inspection, the incident commander quickly reassured people at the playground and confirmed there was no danger.

The spider was not a real animal but a plastic toy. Its appearance resembled a Mexican red-kneed tarantula or a greenbottle blue tarantula.