A 12-foot alligator that was lunging at cars in the middle of a dark road in North Carolina on Friday was encouraged to move on after firefighters deployed a unique method – spraying the massive reptile with a hose.

The giant gator was reported to be blocking traffic around 1 a.m. in Boiling Spring Lakes, a town in Brunswick County, south of Wilmington.

“This angry interloper was laying in the middle of the road and would lunge at passing motorists,” Boiling Spring Lakes Fire Rescue said.

The Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office requested the help of firefighters after “deciding that a 12-foot dragon was a bit outside what they could handle solo,” according to the fire department.

“With a gentle shower deployed to encourage a retreat, the gator finally decided he was done with civilization for the time being and finally moved on back into his more natural habitat,” the department said.

The sheriff’s office thanked firefighters for their help, noting that getting the “big guy” out of the road to safety likely saved his life and the lives of those traveling on the dark roadway.