Video Captures Rat Invasion Of LA 99 Cents Only Store

LOS ANGELES, CA — A Los Angeles 99 Cents Only store is contending with the fallout today of a viral video showing rats running amok inside the Wilshire Boulevard store.

The video, shot by Ranel Amigo, shows three large rats scurrying through the aisles of the Westlake store after it had closed for the day Tuesday. The video garnered widespread disgust on social media and prompted a statement from the company, vowing to tackle the vermin problem.

Amigo told Fox 11 that he was waiting for a bus outside the store when he spotted the romping rats. In the video one rat can be seen walking clearly into view while another scurries beneath a bin of balls and a third runs past the canned food aisle in the background.

The 99 Cent Only store issued a statement Wednesday in response to the video.

“Nothing is more important to us than the safety of our food and the cleanliness of our stores. We have taken immediate action to sanitize this area and have stepped up our pest control enforcement both in and around this store to make sure this issue is resolved,” the company said in the statement to KCAL9. “We have voluntarily contacted the Los Angeles County Health Department and will be working closely with them to resolve this issue. We apologize for this unfortunate situation and assure our customers that we are doing everything possible to prevent future problems from occurring.”

See Also:

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• 'California Is Being Overrun By Rodents,' Study Shows
• LA City Hall May Be Rat Infested, But It's Flea-Free
• The Most Rat- And Roach-Infested Cities In California
• 'Third-World' Conditions Blamed For LA's Typhus Outbreak
• Typhus Threat Ongoing, LA County Health Officials Warn

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  Fueled by an increasing homeless population and government restrictions on select pesticides, rat infestations have spiked across California, especially in major cities such as Los Angeles. The problem has spread from Skid Row to City Hall, which dealt with a major infestation last year. The spike in rodents is considered a major health concern for the region because Rats can carry dangerous diseases, such as typhus. An employee at Los Angeles City Hall reported contracting typhus in the past year, blaming an increase in pests in the Civic Center area.