Two fell through the ice, and four jumped in to help. Six had to be rescued.
That was the scenario faced by emergency crews yesterday (March 7) as the mild weather made ice conditions unsafe at Hamilton Harbour near Lake Ontario.
According to eye witness reports, two young people fell through while walking along the ice near the Pier 7 Boardwalk. Their cries for help were answered by four others who jumped into the frigid waters to try to save them.
By the time that police and emergency crews arrived on the scene, all six were struggling and had to be pulled from the water once they all fell through the ice.
Hamilton Police say bystanders told them that the pair who originally went in the water had been warned to get off the ice, and when one of them noticed the ice bending under them, they tried to jump away, causing both to fall through.
One person who was submerged in the water for a period of time was transported to hospital. The condition of that person is unknown. The rest were treated by paramedics who arrived at the scene.
Police used the incident to remind the public that mild temperatures have made icy surfaces on water unsafe and have warned everyone to play it safe and stay away.
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