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Two Ice Rescues in Malden and Lynn Prompt Fresh Warnings on Thin Ponds

Fire officials caution that early-season cold creates deceptive surfaces that may fail without warning.

Overview

  • Malden firefighters reached a 14-year-old at Fellsmere Pond around 2 p.m. Wednesday and pulled her from roughly 30-foot-deep water in under 30 seconds before transporting her to a Boston hospital.
  • In Lynn around 7:30 p.m., crews located a man about 30 feet from shore in Flax Pond and brought him to safety, then to Salem Hospital for treatment.
  • Lynn Fire Capt. Michael Carmody moved onto ice estimated at about two inches thick, initially found his rope too short, and rescuers linked lines and deployed a life ring to reach the victim.
  • A passerby’s 911 call triggered the Lynn response, and officials said the incident likely would have been a fatality without the quick actions of all involved.
  • Both fire departments urged residents to stay off local ponds, warning that ice thickness is unpredictable and that no ice should be considered safe.