Authorities in Prince William County report that a man died on Christmas Eve after plunging through an icy pond.
According to a Prince William County police spokeswoman, rescuers were called to a water rescue in the 6000 block of Erinblair Loop in the Piedmont section of Haymarket, Virginia, at around 10 p.m. on Saturday.
A man was discovered by police to have fallen through an iced-over pond at the Piedmont Club Golf Course.
The man was rescued by firefighters from the pond. After being taken to a hospital, he was subsequently declared dead.
The identity of the 19-year-old man was not immediately disclosed.
The incident also resulted in non-life-threatening exposure injuries in more adults. They were probably those who tried to assist the man, according to the police.
A video of the incident that Twitter user @KenKocher uploaded with News4 revealed that there were numerous first responders there in the neighborhood and on the forested golf course. Additionally, people from surrounding homes were standing on their lawns and watching what was happening.
It’s one of the smaller ponds on the golf course, Kocher explained, hidden behind a few homes. “We’ve heard tales of children playing in the ponds. The sign reads, “No swimming. Nothing on the ice. Don’t go near the water. However, children will always be children.”
Almost no one can identify whether a frozen pond is safe to walk on, according to public safety experts, thus it should be avoided.
“This is especially terrible on Christmas Eve. We’ve spent 21 years in this neighborhood “said Kocher.
Prince William County police issued a warning to avoid the area’s ice following the event.
Acting Fire Chief James Forgo of Prince William County Fire & Rescue stated in a release that skating rinks, pavilions, or other venues especially made for that purpose are the best places to go for ice recreation rather than the hazardous, naturally occurring ice that forms on local lakes.
Police are looking into the man’s reasons for stepping onto the ice.
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