Two men and a dog were in icy water for up to 15 minutes, witness says

A passer-by rescued a man who fell into a frozen lake while trying to save a dog. Photo / Ozgur Ontas, Facebook

A passer-by saved a man who fell into a frozen lake while trying to rescue a dog.

The man, who has not been identified, crawled on all fours across the ice at Connaught Water in Epping Forest, Essex, to pull the man to safety on Sunday afternoon local time.

Dressed in a black T-shirt, trousers and trainers, the hero fell into the water himself during the rescue but both men and the dog made it to safety.

Video footage captured by a witness showed the pair’s escape.

They were treated by paramedics at the scene and one was then taken to Whipps Cross Hospital in Leytonstone, east London.

Ozgur Ontas, who filmed the rescue, said the men were in the icy water for between 10 and 15 minutes.

“It’s problematic for dog walkers,” he told BBC News.

“It wasn’t just this man, other people’s dogs also went into the lake and ran on the ice. This could happen again.”

Essex Fire and Rescue Service, which responded to the incident, has now warned the public not to enter cold waters to rescue animals.

Gary Dyer, its watch manager, said anyone who did so risked being “overwhelmed” by the low temperatures.

“We completely understand why people want to help in situations like this, but cold water can overwhelm the body very quickly,” he said.

“The safest thing to do is stay out of the water and call us – we have the training and equipment to respond safely.”

A spokesman for the fire and rescue service said: “Firefighters were called to a lake in Rangers Road, near Buckhurst Hill, following a dog rescue attempt that left two people in icy water. A member of the public fell through ice in an attempt to rescue a dog.

A passer-by then entered the water to try to help. Both people were able to get out of the water and were left in the care of the ambulance service. The dog was safely reunited with its owners.”

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