Workers try to rescue kangaroo caught in pit of black industrial waste

Horrific photos show workers trying to rescue a kangaroo caught in a seven metre deep black sludge pit of industrial waste.

Workers at a Melbourne industrial plant were confronted with a horrific scene yesterday when they got to work.

Excavator operator Steve said he was spooked when he noticed a dark creature moving about in a seven metre deep pit of industrial waste at the Cleanaway plant in Campbellfield.

“It was all pretty freaky to be honest,” his manager Daniel Halemba told Yahoo News Australia, saying he had been startled by the sighting.

Mr Halemba said he rushed to the pit and realised it was an eastern grey kangaroo caught in the pit, completely coated in a mix of bitumen, sawdust and oil. The marsupial was swimming through the industrial waste, but was struggling to stay afloat, according to the report.

Rescuer Leonie told Wildlife Rescue she was called to help Steve and Mr Halemba rescue the kangaroo, and when she arrived at the waste pit a short time later, they’d already pulled the kangaroo from the pit.

“l attended a call for a Roo ‘swimming’ in a waste pit in Campbellfield,” Leonie said in a Facebook post shared by Wildlife Rescuers. “Calling the member of public to give an eta of 10 min, he advised me that he had pulled the roo out.

“The roo had been in a 7m deep pit filled with ‘sewerage’, sawdust and black sludge. He was covered in it.”

RELATED: Escaped emu calmed with pear

The kangaroo was caught in a pit of sewage, sawdust and 'black sludge', according to Wildlife Rescuers.

The kangaroo after being pulled from the pit. Picture: Wildlife Rescuers

The kangaroo was in a bad state after being pulled from the 7m pit of industrial waste. Picture: Wildlife Rescuers

RELATED: Big cat caught on camera

Steve and Mr Halemba said they’d acted quickly, fashioning a noose-like rope, attached to some broom handles to hook around the kangaroo’s neck. Mr Halemba said they’d tended to the kangaroo after pulling it from the pit, but said his condition was “absolutely shocking”.

Leonie said the kangaroo sadly had to be euthanized after the rescue from the pit.

“He was given his wings,” she said.

RELATED: ‘He never flinched’: Pit bull’s vicious act

The kangaroo was euthanised after it was pulled from the pit. Picture: Wildlife Rescuers

Wildlife Rescuers said the incident was “totally preventable” and urged businesses with waste pits to “cover them over with a good strong small gauge mesh to prevent these awful accidents happening”.

“As you can see this pit was in a building, which some may say was ‘cover’ enough.”

Commenters on the post were horrified by the sad end for the kangaroo, some saying it “broke my heart”.

“How horrendous for this little roo,” one woman commented.

“Not only is that dangerous for animals but I would say completely dangerous irresponsible and definitely not in line with OHS. What if that roo had been a child or an adult that tripped into it,” another said.

“Horrific! The suffering of that poor little roo! Thank you for caring,” another said. “These places should have mandatory covers as do pool owners.”