Thin ice conditions are being blamed for the death of a man and his dog in Orland, Maine.
Brian Wardwell, 73, was out with his dog driving on Alamoosook Lake in Orland around 7:15 p.m. on Wednesday when his truck broke through the ice. A person on the shoreline heard yelling and attempted to rescue Wardwell before falling through the ice himself.
Ultimately, the man who attempted the rescue was able to get out of the ice and called 911. Rescuers then found Wardwell floating and unresponsive about 10 feet deep in the water, bringing his body to shore, where attempts at reviving him were unsuccessful.
"Ice conditions are poor in some parts of the state, particularly along the coast," Maine Game Warden Sergeant Alan Gillis said. "People need to check the ice in several spots before venturing out, and we are advising people in this area not to take vehicles on the ice."
It is unclear why Wardwell was driving along the lake.
