Toledo, OHIO – A dramatic rescue unfolded Friday night after a person fell through the ice on the Maumee River. The incident occurred just before 8:30 p.m. when local authorities received a report of an individual in distress after breaking through the frozen surface of the water.
Napoleon Fire and Rescue teams quickly responded to the scene, arriving near Ritter and Meyerholtz Parks, where they deployed an airboat to conduct a thorough search of the area. Within 12 minutes, at approximately 8:42 p.m., crews located the victim, who was clinging to an unbroken patch of ice in the water.
The individual, who was not identified, was pulled from the water and immediately transported to a nearby hospital. Fortunately, the victim sustained non-life-threatening injuries and is expected to recover.
In the wake of the rescue, Napoleon Fire and Rescue officials issued a warning to the public, emphasizing that no ice is ever completely safe. “Conditions can change in a matter of seconds, and we urge everyone to exercise extreme caution when near any frozen bodies of water,” said a spokesperson for the department.
The incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by unstable ice, particularly as temperatures fluctuate. Authorities are continuing to urge the public to avoid venturing onto ice-covered waters unless conditions are clearly marked as safe by professionals.