Maine

Young Child Rescued After Falling Through Ice in Maine

A boy is safe after falling through the ice on Minuteman Pond in Scarborough

NBCUniversal, Inc.

A young child is safe after falling through ice on a pond in Maine.

The accident happened on Minuteman Pond, a small body of water in a Scarborough neighborhood around 9:20 Monday morning.

Scarborough Fire Captain Nate Contreras says the child, who is 5 or 6, was only submerged up to his waist for a couple minutes, but was "soaked" and became stuck in mud.

"The mother lived down the street, she thought her child was playing outside and was playing with some other kids," said Contreras.

One of the first witnesses to the incident was a child in a nearby house.

That child told his mother, who rushed outside to try and assist the other child stuck in the pond.

Meanwhile, another area parent called 911 after hearing screaming.

Adults were able to get the child out of the water, and had carried the boy up a hill to a nearby house to warm up as first responders arrived.

Contreras says anyone thinking about going out on ice in Maine should avoid doing so because it remains thin statewide.

A notice sent by state game wardens to ice fishermen also warns most bodies of water in Maine do not have thick enough ice for people to go out on.

"The biggest problem is hypothermia," said Contreras. "If you can't get out and you're in water 30 or 32 degrees for a prolonged period, your body is not meant to be that cold. If that child was not noticed, it would've been a lot more serious."

Contact Us