2 hospitalized after water rescue at Belchertown lake

BELCHERTOWN, Mass. (WWLP) - Two people have been taken to the hospital, after being rescued from a Belchertown lake where they fell through the ice.

Belchertown Fire Captain John Workman told 22News that early this afternoon, they received a report of two people falling through the ice while fishing on Metacomet Lake.

Amherst firefighters were called-in to assist Belchertown firefighters, who were already on a call to vent propane from a home at the time.

Workman says firefighters used an ice rescue sled, and put-on cold water suits during the rescue. The two were brought to the hospital. Their exact condition is unknown at this time, but Workman says that they were conscious at the time of the rescue.

He estimated that the two had been in the water for at least five minutes.

A Belchertown firefighter was also taken to the hospital as a precaution, because he was in the water so long during the rescue.

Workman says that the incident serves as a reminder of just how dangerous the ice can be at this time of year.