Thin ice danger on WMass ponds

SOUTHWICK, Mass. (WWLP) - It may be January, but that doesn’t mean that it safe to go out on the ice. The generally mild weather we have had this winter has led to thin ice, causing several accidents across New England.

In central Massachusetts over the weekend, Richard Redfield of Southbridge was killed when he fell through the ice while snowmobiling with friends at a pond in Dudley. Two of his friends also had to be pulled from the icy water, but survived.

Also over the weekend, two adults and one child were taken to the hospital after falling through the ice in a pond in Arlington, just north of Boston.

The ice is just as perilous in western Massachusetts.

Snowmobilers have been known to plunge through the ice-covered Congamond Lakes in Southwick. Lifelong resident Kurt Saunders recalls someone going through the ice and drowning about 35 years ago. Saunders told 22News that he hopes nobody is foolhardy enough to test the two inches of ice covering Congamond lakes during this mild winter.

“I can remember one December back in the late 80’s, it never got above zero the entire month of December. Then, you could go out on the ice and feel more confident it was safe,” Saunders said.

Southwick Fire Chief Richard Anderson told 22News that the ice covering Congamond lakes should be at least one foot thick before anyone risks going out there. “Obviously it's on our mind right now because it's a winter that's not that severe, and we had three drowning this year, so it's certainly in the forefront of how we think about safety,” Anderson said.

Several Connecticut men decided to do some fishing at Congamond Lakes. One told 22News that he had hoped the ice would be more than two inches thick. Knowing the danger of thin ice, they make their way across the ice very cautiously.