Stay Off Ice Near Water Bodies, Warns East Brunswick Police

EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ — The East Brunswick Police Department is warning residents to stay off the ice near water bodies in town.

With temperatures dipping, several water bodies become frozen this time of year, but not completely. “What may appear to be frozen over lakes or ponds can be inviting spots for ice skaters and children who would like to explore during the winter months. Even in bitter cold temperatures, ice conditions on bodies of water can be extremely uncertain. The only guaranteed safe skating ice is at a skating rink,” police said in a public statement.

Back in Jan. 22, 2020, 13-year-old Yousef Khela died after he and two friends fell into a partially frozen pond, near East Brunswick Civic Center. While the two boys were able to pull themselves out, Yousef slipped under the ice before help could arrive.

Yousef was an eighth-grader at Churchill Junior High School. He and two other friends were visiting the Volunteer and Veterans Park when he fell through ice, according to his family.

In their public message, police said the ice found on natural bodies of water raises the risk of danger due to natural variables.

“There is no way to judge the strength and safety of ice by looking at it or by the temperature of the day. Fluctuating temperatures, exposure to sunlight, and other factors affect the consistency of the ice. It can be several inches thick in one spot and only an inch thick 10 feet away. Be especially wary of ice covered with snow. Snow can hide cracks and weaknesses in open ice,” police said.

The police department also went on to tell parents to educate their children about the danger of going out onto a frozen body of water, “including never following a friend or a pet into these potential danger zones.”

If residents come across someone who has fallen through the ice, they should call 911 and not attempt a rescue. “If the ice did not support the victim’s weight, it will not support you,” police said.

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