DC Pizza Restaurant Rat Video May Be A Hoax: Report

WASHINGTON, DC — The D.C. Health Department has launched an investigation after video posted on social media purportedly shows rats infesting the kitchen of a pizza restaurant in Dupont Circle, according to a report. But a report suggests that it could be a hoax.

Fox 5 reported the health department will look into the allegations raised by the video, which show many rats scurrying around inside of a kitchen. The poster of the video claims it was taken at Dupont Pizza, 2004 P Street NW.

"Please do not go here ... spread the word about this!!" the poster wrote.

ATTN: PLEASE stay tf away from “DuPont Pizza” on P st NW pic.twitter.com/G1LdpR1zxV
— BigSavannah Die$eL (@Diesel_2244) October 3, 2019

The health department temporarily shut down the restaurant until a full inspection could be conducted, according to the report.

A former manager of Dupont Pizza took the video, Fox 5 reported, citing the woman who posted the video.

However, the Washington Post reports that the owner is claiming that a fired employee might be to blame, and the video is in fact from years ago. He also disputed that the fired employee was a manager as claimed in the social media post.

However, he did acknowledge that the video shows rats in the shop, just that it hasn't happened for years and that he pays a pest service to keep the place free of rodents.