Milton Fire Department rescues 8-year-old boy from cracking ice

MILTON, Wis. (WMTV) - The Milton Fire Department rescued a young boy stuck on a frozen pond with cracking ice. Fire officials say they responded to the area of E High Street in Milton around 1 p.m. on Tuesday for an 8-year-old boy on a pond.

When crews arrived, they spotted the child about fifty feet out on the ice, which was about 1 to 1.5 inches thick and could not support the weight of rescue personnel. Milton firefighters donned cold water rescue suits and entered the water. Citizens in the area advised the firefighters that the pond was about four feet deep, but certain areas were as deep as 12 feet.

Fire officials say the child is autistic and became agitated by the sirens and the rescuers attempting to approach him. This caused him to move further out onto the pond.

Eventually, the child was able to stay on the ice and rescue personnel were able to convince the boy to approach the rescuer.

The child was brought back to shore, checked by paramedics at the scene, and released to his mother.

The Milton and Milton Township Fire Department was assisted at the scene by the The Edgerton Fire Protection District, The City of Janesville Fire Department, City and Town of Milton Police Departments, Rock County Sheriff’s Department and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

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