Five children rescued after getting lost in Staten Island sewers

Talk about a crappy situation.

Five Staten Island kids called 911 for help Tuesday after they became “stuck in the sewers.”

The youngsters crawled through an open storm drain at Cloves Lake Park near the Staten Island Zoo and walked about a quarter of a mile through the sewage tunnels before they lost their way, the FDNY said.

“The water level was low, so they were able to go right in. They got lost in this sewer system,” FDNY Deputy Chief Joe Harris said.

The lost youths called 911 for help around 6 p.m., but had difficulty relaying their exact location to the dispatcher, released audio of the call shows.


An adventurous group of 11- and 12-year-old boys found themselves stuck in a sewer after they veered into a storm drain tunnel for fun at the Staten Island Zoo.
An adventurous group of 11- and 12-year-old boys found themselves stuck in a sewer after they veered into a storm drain tunnel for fun at the Staten Island Zoo.
FOX 5

“We’re stuck in the sewers,” the boy told the dispatcher.

“You’re stuck where?” the dispatcher asked in disbelief. “How did you guys get in there?”

“We went in through the tunnel,” the child said. “We walked a lot.”

Luckily, two dispatchers who had a general idea of the area were able to give first responders directions to the general vicinity the boys were trapped in.


The kids crawled through the open storm drain at Cloves Lake Park.
The kids crawled through the open storm drain at Cloves Lake Park.
FOX 5

Responding firefighters found the kids’ belongings at the Cloves Lake Park sewer entrance.

Donning a “breathing apparatus” and equipped with rope, a firefighter started crawling through the space to find the lost kids.

On the streets above, other firefighters began opening manholes along Clove Road in hopes of finding the missing children underneath, the FDNY said.

After about 30 minutes, firefighters came close enough to hear the group of children.


Firefighters on the scene were equipped with a "breathing apparatus" and rope before they crawled into the space.
Firefighters on the scene were equipped with a “breathing apparatus” and rope before they crawled into the space.
FOX 5

The kids can be heard screaming for help, at the direction of the dispatchers, to better direct the firefighters to their location.

All five were assisted out of the sewers and taken to Richmond University Medical Center.

One child suffered a leg injury, the FDNY said.

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