Five trucks – including one with a trailer – went through the ice at Balsam Bay on Lake Winnipeg Sunday morning, but no one was seriously hurt.
According to local officials, three people who had fallen through the ice were able to escape the frigid waters on their own before emergency crews arrived, getting wet and cold, but otherwise avoiding injury.
A local man who was also ice fishing nearby told 680 CJOB the ice on the lake seemed safe, but maybe not safe enough for a heavy trailer.
“The trailer going onto the ice this early in the year with the big truck that was towing it, that was a bit of a surprise he would do that, but saying that, the ice on the lake is good,” said Darren Terry.
Terry called it a freak accident, likely due to inconsistent weather and high winds.
Witness Steve Boyd saw the aftermath, and said two men in one of the trucks were submerged underwater for about 20 seconds.
“It was real shock,” he said. “I could not believe that pickup truck was gone.
“It went from being really mild to really, really cold really fast. There was a lot of wind, there was probably a lot of movement on the lake, and it just created a bad situation, is what I think.”
Two of the vehicles that broke through the ice are still in the water, according to Colleen Sailor, acting CAO of the Rural Municipality of St. Clements.
“They’re partially submerged,” said Sailor. “This year we had such a warm fall, so there’s still open water.”
“That’s the one message the RM is trying to get out to everybody – it isn’t safe to be out there yet.”
Although the municipality encourages ice fishing, a big tourist attraction, in the area, Sailor said fishers should wait until they get the OK from the province before heading out on the water.
Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) told 680 CJOB that coverage would apply in a situation like this, provided the vehicle has an Autopac policy and the driver has a valid driver’s licence.
MPI’s Brian Smiley said the insurance also pays the recovery costs related to the vehicle falling through the ice, and that MPI opens about two dozen of these types of claims annually – typically at this time of year and in late spring when shacks are being removed from the ice.
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