Officials from the University of Wisconsin Police Department and the City of Madison Fire Department responded to a lake rescue early Friday morning for a report of three UW students who fell through the ice on Lake Mendota.
The incident was reported at 1:53 a.m., and one person had made their way to shore when first responders arrived. A UWPD dispatcher used cameras to locate the remaining two individuals, and rescuers from MFD used this information to bring the two students to shore.
There were no injuries and the three individuals refused medical care.
Thursday, Feb. 22 the Dane County Sheriff’s Office Marine and Trail Enforcement warned of deteriorating ice conditions on area lakes — primarily Lake Mendota. The warning emphasized fluctuating temperatures that had led ice pockets to form on the lake, thereby creating unsafe conditions.
The Dane County Sheriff’s Office encouraged members of the public to use “extreme caution on any area lakes.” UWPD echoed this sentiment, urging community members to avoid area lakes due to unsafe ice conditions.