CROMWELL -- It was a terrifying morning for a boy in Cromwell Wednesday when he fell through the ice and had to be rescued from the frigid water.
Around 9:40 a.m., police received a 911 call that a student from Adelbrook was standing on the ice in the middle of a pond near the school. Officers along with the Cromwell Fire Department responded, according to Chief Denise Lamontagne.
Three officers arrived on the scene and tried to talk the student into walking back off the pond, when suddenly the ice cracked. The boy fell into the water about chest deep, Chief Lamontagne said, and officers through him a rope to try and pull him to shore.
Unfortunately, the boy was unable to hold into and remained submerged in the pond. That's when a firefighter put on a cold water suit and crawled out on the ice to the student. Once he got to the boy, they held onto a rope and were pulled to shore by the officers.
Cromwell Firefighter Jeremy Hiriak had to suit up and save the student. It was his first rescue but he said he felt prepared because the fire department trains for water rescue often.
“I slid out on my stomach towards him, I grabbed him, told him ‘I got ya, we’re gonna get you out of here,’” Hiriak said. “We gave him a rope and I was able to lift him up, with a little assistance from him, up and out of the water.”
The boy was in the water for less than 3 minutes, Chief Lamontagne said. He was not injured, but was taken to Middlesex Hospital for evaluation just in case.
"The efforts put forth by both the officers of the Cromwell Police Department and members of the Cromwell Fire Department were a great demonstration of emergency services working together and I would like to commend all involved for their actions," said Chief Lamontagne.
"We will review the staff debriefings taking place over the next few days and make decisions about increasing physical barriers for protection," the school said in a statement.
Adelbrook is a school with specific behavioral and developmental services.