US firefighters chase hungry bear out of apartment

A group of firefighters in the US deployed a rarely used strategy to remove a bear from a Colorado apartment at the weekend, yelling at it despite the risk it would turn and attack them.

The men from the Eagle River Fire Protection District were called about 4.45am by an Avon resident who had locked themself inside their room while a black bear roamed the house, 9 News reports.

The small bear had been rummaging through the refrigerator when the firefighters arrived to deal with it.

A video shared on Facebook shows the uniformed men gathered in the building's hallway and calling the bear to coax it out of the apartment.

Tensions are on edge as it slowly pokes its head out the door and takes a few steps before the men yell and chase, causing the frightened beast to scurry away.

The authorities think an open door or window may have been to blame for the bear getting into the building.