Home»BALTIMORE COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT»INCIDENTS»2015 Fires and Incidents»Water Rescue Hillcrest Park 1-25-15

What started out to be a nice winter day, with a break from the cold weather that had been gripping the area, ended in tragedy. On the Sunday afternoon of January 25th four children fell through an icy pond in Hillcrest Park in Lansdowne. Around 1330 hours an ice/water rescue box was dispatched for children who had fallen through the ice on a pond. Bystanders nearby witnessed four children walking on the ice covered pond when they fell through. Two of the boys, aged 8 and 12 managed to swim to shore and get out. Two bystanders rushed over and pulled an unconscious 12 year old boy out of the water and provided medical care to him while rescue workers were then called to search for the fourth person who was still under the water

Several Baltimore County Dive Units and the ATR Team from Station 17, Texas as well as Carroll County’s Dive Unit 13 from Gamber were dispatched to the incident. The Maryland State Police Trooper 6 was also above the scene searching with their thermal imager. As units began to arrive, they launched Zodiac boats and ice sleds and donned scuba gear to begin the search for the fourth victim. Out from the waters edge, in about 8 feet of water, several divers searched and probed the water and after about an hour and 15 minutes they located and retrieved the unconscious 13 year-old boy from the water. They loaded him onto a stretcher, began CPR and transported to a nearby hospital.

All of the victims were transported by ambulance to Saint Agnes Hospital. The first two were treated and released later that evening. The other two that were pulled out unconscious, were transferred the Johns Hopkins’ Pediatric Intensive Care Unit where they were listed in critical condition. Early Tuesday morning the 13 year old was pronounced dead after never regaining consciousness. He was under the water for more than an hour. The other 12 year old remained in the hospital.

Baltimore County Police remained on the scene investigating the incident. 60 Fire, Rescue, and Police personnel were on the scene with 20 pieces of equipment.