DDN – Three children fell into a frozen pond, leaving one in critical condition, according to North Carolina officials.
The children were playing on the ice when the tragedy occurred at around 5 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 16, according to Winston-Salem first responders.
Two of the children were rescued by first responders and family members before being sent to a hospital for evaluation. The third youngster was later retrieved from the water in “critical life-threatening condition,” according to a news release from police and firefighters.
“This is a heartbreaking incident, and our thoughts are with the family during this difficult time,” first responders stated.
As of early January 17, officials have not released the children’s identities. The Winston-Salem Fire Department’s public information officer, Tabetha Childress, informed McClatchy News via email that an investigation is ongoing.
The rescue occurred on a day when temperatures in the vicinity ranged between 50 and 18 degrees. The National Weather Service predicts that a cold front will strike the region early next week, bringing temperatures in the teens and 20s.
“We urge the public to exercise extreme caution around frozen bodies of water,” officials wrote in a memo. “Ice may appear stable but can be dangerously thin and unpredictable.”
Reference: Three kids fall through frozen pond ice, and one is in critical condition, NC cops say
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