Stay Off Of Budd Lake, Police Warn

MOUNT OLIVE, NJ — Budd Lake is not frozen enough for it to be safe to use, Mount Olive police said, and if you don't know how to check if it's totally frozen, it's never safe for you.

Police say the weather leading up to Dec. 17 has not made the ice frozen enough to be safe to go onto. Anyone planning on using the lake for ice activities should make sure its been frozen for a prolonged period, and should check to see if its safe. If you're not sure how to check, then you shouldn't be on the lake, police say.

"If you are not sure how to test the ice, you are strongly encouraged not to do activities on any ice without researching how to perform these activities safely. Please avoid a tragedy, and do not go on Budd Lake as it is never 100% frozen," police said.

Budd Lake is a natural lake, and feeds the Raritan River South.

Two Mount Olive teens died in 2013 when they fell through the ice. Nick Cianciotto and Clyde Schimanski both lost their lives in early January after venturing out onto the lake.

Image via David Allen for Patch