Two rescued after falling through ice at Liberty Park


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SALT LAKE CITY — Firefighters rescued a woman and teenage girl early Monday evening after they fell through the ice on a partially frozen pond in Liberty Park, the Salt Lake City Fire Department said.

The 13-year-old girl was trying to help her two brothers out of the water after they fell through the ice, and the woman, a bystander, also tried to help, said Salt Lake firefighter Brandon Heaney. Both of them were able to climb up on a small artificial island in the water, where they became stranded, Heaney said.

The two boys made their way out of the pond before the firefighters' swift water rescue team arrived. Shortly after 5 p.m., their sister and the woman were retrieved using a boat that was pulled back to shore using a rope, according to Heaney.

"It's half frozen and it's half water," he said of the pond. "It doesn't seem like it'd be a logical thing to go walk on."

The water was frigid, making the situation more precarious for those who fell through, Heaney said.

"It's at or below freezing with the ice and so it's definitely going to sting when you go in (and will) take your breath away," he said. "Every patient was cold, shivering wet. We quickly got them into a warmer environment inside the ambulances and tried to get their core body temperatures up."

All of the victims were expected to recover quickly, though Heaney said the woman at one point was neck deep in the water and "seemed like the most shaken up."

Jose Garcia walks with his father, Marcos Garcia, to their car after falling through the ice at the pond in Liberty Park and being rescued in Salt Lake City on Monday, Feb. 8, 2016. Jose's sister, Geneva Nelson, was also rescued. (Photo: Ravell Call, Deseret News)
Jose Garcia walks with his father, Marcos Garcia, to their car after falling through the ice at the pond in Liberty Park and being rescued in Salt Lake City on Monday, Feb. 8, 2016. Jose's sister, Geneva Nelson, was also rescued. (Photo: Ravell Call, Deseret News)

"It's better to call for help than (to) put yourself in a situation that risks more people endangering themselves," Heaney said. "It's definite case of people overextending themselves in a situation they're not trained for. Call 911."

The firefighter said the two rescuees had looks of relief on their faces and were "definitely grateful and happy" after getting transported back to shore.

Heaney wasn't sure Monday why the two boys, whose exact ages weren't known, stepped onto the pond's ice in the first place. It was unusual to be called out for a water rescue in the middle of a city park, he said, adding, "you're not thinking (of) water rescue in the middle of winter."

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