Two children were rescued from a storm drainage system near Target, 5580 Northwest Highway in Crystal Lake, Tuesday evening. | Photo: Alex Vucha / Lake and McHenry County Scanner

Two children were rescued from a storm drainage system with minor injuries behind Target in Crystal Lake Tuesday evening.

The Crystal Lake Fire Rescue Department and Crystal Lake Police Department responded around 5:10 p.m. Tuesday to the area of Target, 5580 Northwest Highway in Crystal Lake, for a report of a rescue.

Crystal Lake Fire Rescue Department Battalion Chief Heidi Olsen told Lake and McHenry County Scanner that firefighters arrived and learned two children, between the ages of 10 and 13, climbed into a storm drainage pipe near a retention pond behind Target.

The department said bystanders initially had phone contact with the two children but they lost contact.

Firefighters worked with the Crystal Lake Police Department, Crystal Lake Public Works Department and members of the public to figure out the layout of the storm system.

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Two children were rescued from a storm drainage system near Target, 5580 Northwest Highway in Crystal Lake, Tuesday evening. | Photo: Alex Vucha / Lake and McHenry County Scanner

Crews started opening manholes to search for the two children, Olsen said.

The two were later located by Good Samaritans at a manhole cover approximately 850 feet from where the children entered the storm system.

The incident commander initially requested additional resources through the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS), but it was canceled once the children were rescued.

Both children were pulled out with minor scratches and scrapes and paramedics transported them to a local hospital for precautionary evaluation.

Olsen reminds the public that it is not safe to play or go into storm drainage systems.