Yep, anywhere dead bodies can be found lying around there's definitely going to be rats.  Since these were "fiendish" rats, though, I didn't figure ordinary fire would work to disperse them (if they are demonic "hell rats" of some kind they are likely immune to fire), so Sigra would have held off on suggesting it.  Only other thing might be acid or poison but not many people go walking around with bottles of acid or poison.   :P