Search For Teens In Underground Drains Turns Up Nothing

GERMANTOWN, MD — Montgomery County emergency crews conducted a search in Germantown for two teenagers who were thought to be playing in an underground storm drain system Sunday afternoon. Nobody was found, but emergency crews located evidence that determined people were in the storm drain system.

A technical rescue team responded to the area of Sceptre Ridge Terrace after a neighbor called to report the teens at 3:45 p.m., Montgomery County Fire & Rescue spokesperson Pete Piringer said.

A neighbor allegedly saw the teenagers playing in the storm drains and heard voices that seemed to come from within a drain, Piringer said.

The team searched for about four hours in storm systems on Sceptre Ridge Terrace, Little Fox Lane and Maryland Manor Court before they determined the teenagers made it out of the storm drains.

Officials found evidence that someone had been in the drain from the 11100 block of Sceptre Ridge Terrace to Madrigal Drive, Piringer said.

"Confined spaces are dangerous for several reasons," Piringer said. "Fortunately it appears the kids were in and out."

The search ended at around 8 p.m. after all areas were "reasonably searched and checked," officials said.

Photos via Pete Piringer