A 19-year-old boy died following falling into an ice-covered pond on Christmas Eve in Prince William County, according to authorities.
First responders responded to a water rescue in the 6000 block of Erinblair Loop in the Piedmont neighborhood of Haymarket, Virginia, around 10 pm Saturday, according to a county police spokesperson.
Officers discovered a man had fallen through ice covering a pond at the Piedmont Club Golf Course.
Firefighters pulled the victim from the water and he was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. His identity was not immediately released.
Other adults suffered injuries from being exposed to the low temperatures that were not life threatening. The police reported that they were probably people who tried to help the man.
“It’s one of the smaller ponds behind some houses on the golf course,” said Ken Kocher, a neighbor who recorded footage of the authorities’ response. “We have heard children’s stories regarding the ponds. He says, ‘Don’t swim. No ice skating. Stay out of the water’. But children will be children.
Public safety experts explain that it is almost impossible to define whether it is safe to walk on an ice-covered pond, and should be avoided.
“It is a tragedy, especially on Christmas Eve. We have lived in this neighborhood for 21 years,” Kocher continued.
Following the incident, Prince William County Police issued a warning to the community not to walk on ice in the area.
They also shared the following tips on what to do if someone falls through the ice:
- Call 911 immediately.
- Try to calm the victim down and tell them that help is coming.
- Do not go out on the ice to rescue them.
- Trying to reach the victim with something that might help keep them afloat or can be used to pull them to the ground, such as a branch, rope, or hockey stick.
