Tewksbury Police Warn About Ice Safety After Kids Seen On River

TEWKSBURY, MA — Tewksbury police shared a warning about ice safety Wednesday after receiving a call about "youths on the ice on the Merrimack River" Tuesday.

"We thought it was a good time to remind the community of the dangers of venturing out on the ice," the police department said on on Facebook.

According to a graphic, no activities are safe unless ice is at least 4 inches thick. At 5 inches, you can ride a snowmobile or ATV, at 8-12, you can drive a car or small pickup, and at a foot or more, you can drive a medium truck.

But the graphic applies to non-moving bodies of water, like lakes and ponds, the police warned.

"Ice on rivers and streams is much more dangerous as there are often thin spots as well as the danger of being dragged under by the current," the police said.

For more tips, visit the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife's ice safety page.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.