3 Deer Fall Through Waltham Ice; Workers Unable To Save Them

WALTHAM, MA — An attempt to rescue three deer that fell through the ice at the Cambridge Reservoir Wednesday afternoon.

At least four helicopters hovered overhead as Waltham Fire Department officials attempted to rescue the deer. At first firefighters, who are specifically trained in ice rescues, waited to see if mother nature would course correct, said Fire Lt. Scott Perry.

They ended up trying to rescue the deer, he said, but it was unsuccessful.

"They tried to trench the ice to help the animal get back to one of the islands," Perry told Patch over the phone.

Someone called about the deer around noon. Traffic at I-95 along the side of the reservoir that runs along the reservoir quickly grew t a standstill as rescuers turned the breakdown lane as their staging ground.

Over the years Waltham rescue crews have worked to free wildlife from the river, and have visited the reservoir to make rescues there in the past, too, Perry said. It can be tricky.

"You have to measure the risk factors," he said.

Waltham Fire on scene at the Cambridge reservoir for 3 deer in the water. So far they are watching to see if deer can get themselves to shore. #wbz pic.twitter.com/WGZTbA0DOa
— Ken Tucci (@KenTucci) December" class="redactor-linkify-object">https://twitter.com/KenTucci/s... 12, 2018

Photos by Jenna Fisher/Patch