ICYMI: Mice in Kitchen of Rockville Cafe Caught on Camera

This news assignment wasn’t for the squeamish—even for WUSA 9 investigative reporter Russ Ptacek, who’s seen his share of grime and gross while reporting restaurant food inspections throughout the Washington, DC region.

But recently, Ptacek revisited—apparently with the owner's blessing—Café Masala at 705 1st St. in Rockville. The restaurant, which specializes in Indian food, had reopened after the Montgomery County Health Department shut it down for health violations, which included rodent droppings in cabinets and signs that rodents had been gnawing on food, WUSA 9 reports.

The WUSA 9 crews found dead and live mice on sticky glue boards in “about every corner of Café Masala’s kitchen,” WUSA 9 reports.

Footage posted at the TV station’s website shows images of the rodent-infested kitchen and Ptacek calling the owner—and then reporting what he saw to the health department.

“These are the worst conditions I've ever seen,” Ptacek reportedly told the owner.

>>>Watch the footage from Ptacek’s visit and read the full story at WUSA 9.