Don't Let Kids Play In Snow Forts, On Frozen Ponds: Plainfield FD

PLAINFIELD, IL — With lots of snow sticking around from last week's 10-plus inch snowfall in Plainfield, local fire officials are reminding parents to make sure kids aren't playing inside snow forts. "Snow forts can collapse, causing suffocation to anyone trapped underneath the snow," the Plainfield Fire Protection District said in a news release.

Fire officials also urged parents to keep kids away from frozen ponds to avoid the danger of falling through ice. "Don’t go out onto the ice and don’t chase pets that go onto ice," officials said. "If someone falls through ice call 9-1- 1 to get help. With safety in mind everyone can enjoy playing in the snow safely."

Earlier in the week, Joliet fire officials issued a similar warning, and for good reason.

In 2003, a 12-year-old Joliet boy died when he was tunneling through a snowbank and it collapsed on him. Ryan Simpson was discovered trapped in the snow outside a church after he didn't return home for dinner. The sixth-grader had been playing in a large pile of snow created when snowplows cleared the church parking lot and was likely unable to escape due to the sheer weight of the snow, fire officials said at the time.

• Boys Rescued After Falling Through Ice
• Stay Off the Ice: Plainfield Fire Dept. Urges Caution as Cold Weather Hits

Image: AP Photo/Cliff Owen