Boy pulled safely from lake’s icy water by friend

An 11-year-old Clear Lake boy was pulled to safety Friday after he fell into the icy lake water.

According to Police Chief Greg Peterson, the boy and a 10-year-old friend approached the open water near the aerator operating in the vicinity of the Sea Wall. Fortunately his friend, who is also from Clear Lake, pulled his buddy out of the icy water. 

Witnesses say they saw the two boys walking on the ice a couple hundred feet from the shoreline towards the open water created by the aerator.  As they got close to the open water, the ice gave way beneath the feet of one of the boys. He threw out his arms, which prevented him from going completely under the ice. His friend then slid close to him on the ice that was intact and helped to pull him out of the water. 

“Some of those who watched what had happened ran to Cookies Etc. and retrieved some blankets. When the boys reached the shore, these folks took the wet lad into the Lakeview Community Room where they helped him remove his wet clothing and wrapped him in blankets to warm him up,” said Peterson.  

When Clear Lake police officers arrived after receiving a call from an employee of the Clear Lake Water Plant, they found the boy cold, but safe and probably more worried about his Mom’s reaction to the harrowing experience than the plunge itself, said Peterson.  Names of the boys had not been released at presstime.

Also responding to the incident were members of the Clear Lake Fire and Rescue, Clear Lake Ambulance Service, Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Office and Department of Natural Resources.