Man rescued from lake 'extremely fortunate' to survive (From Enfield Independent)
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Man rescued from lake by Edmonton firefighters in Alexandra Palace Park 'extremely fortunate' to survive
3:38pm Monday 21st January 2013 in News By Hermione Wright
The dog back on dry land after its brush with death yesterday
A fire chief says it is “extremely fortunate” a man survived yesterday after falling into an icy lake while trying to save his dog.
Twenty-five firefighters from Edmonton, Euston and Hornsey fire stations were called to the boating lake in Alexandra Palace Park at 8.30pm to rescue the man.
He tried to help his dog, who fell into the water, but plummeted into the freezing water when fragile ice cracked beneath his feet.
Jim Knighton, the Brigade’s Assistant Commissioner for Operational Procedures, is warning others not to face the same fate after firefighters rescued three people in London from frozen lakes yesterday.
He said: “To put it bluntly, it’s extremely fortunate we weren’t faced with a fatality yesterday. If people fall into an icy lake, hypothermia will quickly set in and they won’t survive for very long.
“People with dogs should keep them on a lead and keep a close eye on them. It’s so easy for dogs to run off and end up in difficulty as we saw in London yesterday.
“If a pet ends up in trouble, call 999 and stay put, rather than attempting to rescue it yourself.
“Parents should also talk to their children about the dangers of going on the ice. Ice may look sturdy enough to stand on but it usually isn’t and easily breaks.”
The man was pulled to safety by firefighters in dinghies before being treated at the scene by paramedics.
His dog was rescued from an island in the middle of the lake, but escaped without injury.
Firefighters were also called to Regents Park at midday yesterday when a man became engulfed in sub-zero waters when trying to save his dog.
They rescued the man, although there was no sign of the dog.
At about the same time, firefighters pulled a boy to safety after he had become stranded on a frozen lake in Uxbridge when sledging with his friends.
