PHILLIPS — A Maine Warden Service K-9 team located two missing children, ages 2 and 3, Wednesday night in a heavily-wooded area off Number 6 Road, about a half-mile from their home, Emily MacCabe, director of information and education for the Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, said.

Game Wardens and other searchers carry two missing children out of the woods Wednesday after they were located by Game Warden Chad Robertson and K-9 Storm about a half-mile from their home in Phillips. The siblings, ages 2 and 3, were playing outside with their older brother at their home when they ran down the driveway onto the road and out of sight. Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife photo

About 3:45 p.m., the two siblings were playing outside with their older brother at their home on Heron Mark Lane in Phillips when theu ran down the driveway onto the road and out of sight, MacCabe wrote.

The older brother told his parents, Alexandra and Ryan Hutchinson, who immediately began to look for them. After searching the nearby roadways for a short period of time and still unable to locate the children, authorities were called.

The Franklin County Sheriff’s deputies responded about 4:45 p.m. and alerted the Maine Warden Service, Sheriff Scott Nichols Sr. said. Wardens responded about 5 p.m.

Game Warden Chad Robertson and K-9 Storm located the children in Phillips at about 7:45 p.m.

Twelve game wardens and several deputies assisted in the search.

“This was a great team effort by all those involved,” said Sgt. Scott Thrasher. “Warden Robertson and K-9 Storm were the heroes here, helping to prevent these two young children from spending a long night alone in the woods.”

Maine Warden Service was assisted by Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and NorthStar EMS Ambulance.