Police rescue 3 people who fell through ice near Toronto Islands
Posted February 6, 2023 9:55 am.
Last Updated February 6, 2023 7:15 pm.
Toronto police say three people who fell through the ice near Toronto Islands on Monday morning were “extremely lucky” to survive the ordeal thanks to a lightning-fast rescue effort by the Marine Unit.
Const. Stacy Kellough also credited a sharp-eyed bystander who spotted the trio in distress near Hanlan’s Point and called police from the shore at around 8:30 a.m.
Police say two people fell through the ice while they were skating, and a third person fell in while trying to help the pair.
Kellough said they all came perilously close to losing their lives, clinging on to a thin piece of ice and screaming for help.
Luckily, officers from the Marine Unit were able to arrive “within minutes,” Kellough said.
“It was so close to the (Marine Unit) station, so they were able to get there immediately, and to actually see these people still on top of the ice is actually a miracle in itself. That’s how serious it got today,” she said.
“They were extremely lucky to be located as fast as they were and to be pulled from the water,” she added. “It could have been a very tragic event here today.”
All three, a woman and two men, were sent to the hospital after being treated at the scene.
Kellough said all three were treated for “hypothermic conditions” but are expected to recover.
Police are advising residents to stay off the ice with temperatures warming up after a cold snap on the weekend.
“When you go out on the ice, it does put our firefighters, police, and paramedics at risk because they have to go out to save you,” said Const. Laura Brabant. “It is not safe right now.”
“We’d like to remind the public that no ice is safe ice.”
The City of Toronto prohibits skating on bodies of water where signs are up saying “no person shall access or skate on a natural ice surface.” They say they do not test ice thickness on open bodies of water within the city.
“Temperature changes, salt run-off and other environmental factors can make skating on open bodies of water very dangerous,” reads a statement from the city.
What to do if you break through ice?
Some tips from the Life Saving Society of Canada about what to do if you break through the ice.
- Don’t panic – the clothes you’re wearing will trap air and keep you buoyant.
- Turn toward the direction you came from and place your hands and arms on the unbroken surface.
- Kick your feet and try to push yourself forward on top of the unbroken ice on your stomach like a seal.
- Once you are lying on the ice, don’t stand up. Roll away from the break until you’re on solid ice.
