Local firefighters had to venture out on to thin ice to rescue an ice fisherman who fell into the frigid waters late Thursday afternoon.
Fire officials received a call about a man who had fallen through the ice on MacLean Lake, near Port Severn, at 4:24 p.m.
Severn Township and Georgian Bay fire chief Tony Van Dam said seven firefighters were dispatched to the scene, with four venturing out onto the ice to rescue the man.
“Fire department crews put on their ice water rescue suits and they went out and pulled the person out of the water and brought them back,” he told OrilliaMatters.
He said the firefighters broke through the ice several times on their way to help the stranded fisherman.
The OPP aviation unit attended the scene as well, he said.
Van Dam stressed there is no safe ice in the area, and discouraged residents from venturing onto frozen waterways.
“Right now there is no safe ice,” the fire chief said. “We were called there this morning for another individual out there ice fishing again. They were within 30 feet of where the person had gone through, so fire officials and local residents told the person to get off the ice and he took their warning.”
Van Dam said he had no information about the status of the fisherman following yesterday’s rescue, but says he expects the man will recover.
