Boy Rescued After Falling Through Ice

A 15-year-old boy fell through thin ice at a park lagoon Tuesday, then made his way to an island and waited, shivering, until firefighters rescued him.

Fire Capt. Richard Wahlgren said reaching the island at the Humboldt Park lagoon probably saved the boy’s life.

“If he stayed in the water I doubt he would have lasted that half hour,” Wahlgren said.

The boy, whose name was not released, was taken to a local hospital complaining of cramps but later was reported to be doing fine.

Firefighters used an inflatable boat to float the boy to safety.

Wahlgren, who estimated the ice was half an inch to one-inch thick, said he hoped the accident served as a warning to other youngsters tempted to test ice on ponds and other waters.

“With our abnormally warm winter, the ice is very, very thin,” he said.