East Brunswick, Carteret Teens Fall Through Ice; One Dies: PD

EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ — There was not one, but two instances of groups of teens falling through icy ponds in Middlesex County Wednesday, in separate incidents that took place in Carteret and East Brunswick.

In both instances, police and firefighters were able to pull the boys out, but the East Brunswick boy, 13, was pronounced dead at 7:45 this evening, according to East Brunswick police in a somber statement. It took rescue workers nearly an hour to pull the Carteret boy out, but as of 8:00 p.m., he was being rushed to a nearby hospital, said Carteret Mayor Dan Reiman.

This comes on top of an already heartbreaking mid-January Wednesday in Middlesex County: There was a fatal fire in Edison at 2 p.m. Wednesday afternoon, in which two people and the family dog were killed. Witnesses told NJ.com they thought they saw a child carried out of the burning home, but that has not been confirmed by police. There was also a separate, unrelated house fire in Metuchen Wednesday evening. Injuries in that fire are unknown.

At 4:55 p.m. Wednesday, East Brunswick police were called to the pond located on Civic Center Drive for a 911 call of three juveniles that fell through the ice. When police got there, two of the boys were able to successfully pull themselves out, but one boy still remained in the water. Arriving officers immediately formed a chain and entered the pond to help the boy, but he slipped under the ice before they could reach him.

East Brunswick firefighters arrived and, working with police, were able recover the 13-year-old boy from the pond. He was given CPR and rushed to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in critical condition.

Tragically, at 7:45 p.m. this evening, the 13-year-old was pronounced deceased at Robert Wood, said police.

Six officers and two firefighters were treated for hypothermia, some of them so badly that three of them had to be taken to the hospital, as well. East Brunswick police were racing so fast to get to the pond to save the boys that one officer got into a car accident and had to be hospitalized.

In a separate incident, two teenage boys fell into Carteret Pond at 5:07 p.m. and became trapped under the ice, said the Carteret fire department and Carteret Mayor Dan Reiman in Facebook posts.

One of the boys was able to pull himself out, but it took rescue crews about an hour to pull the other teen out. There were several unsuccessful attempts to get the boy out, said rescue workers.

As of 8:15 p.m., the boy had been pulled out and was en route to University Hospital in Newark.

"Join me in praying for David and his family," said Reiman. "He is en route to University Hospital in Newark . Thank you to our Police, Fire , EMS and all the first responders and rescue crews who responded from around the county."

"Tragic news: Unfortunately there is a current rescue operation in Carteret Park as a teenager walked across Carteret Pond and fell under the ice," said Reiman in the initial post. "Our prayers are with the boy and his family as medics, police and firefighters respond. Agencies from all over the county and area are here on scene. Join me in prayer."

Related: Two People, Dog Killed In Edison Fire, Mayor Says

Dog Dies After Falling Through Ice In Middletown Thursday (January 2018)