3 Ice Fishermen Go Through Ice In McHenry County: Fire Officials

JOHNSBURG, IL — Three men went through thin ice on Pistakee Lake Thursday afternoon, prompting rescue crews to rush to the waterway and safely bring them to shore, fire officials said.

The McHenry Township Fire Protection District was called to the lake at about 3:15 p.m. on Thursday for a report of multiple people who had fallen through the ice, according to a news release from the fire protection district.

When they arrived, they found the men — who they believed had been ice fishing prior to falling through — partially submerged in water and clinging to ice in different areas of the lake, according to fire officials.

Crews quickly began rescue efforts by deploying firefighters in specialized ice rescue suits that protected them from the freezing water, according to authorities.

All three men were safely brought to shore in less than eight minutes and taken to a local hospital in stable condition, according to the news release. No one else was injured.

Following the incident, local fire officials are reminding the public that recent temperatures have "significantly compromised the ice on frozen ponds, lakes, and rivers," according to the news release. The public is advised to stay off and avoid what appears to be frozen waterways.