Babbs Mill Lake: Four kids fighting for life after ‘falling into lake while playing on ice’ & fears two still missing
FOUR children are fighting for their lives and there are fears two are still missing after falling into freezing water.
Those rescued suffered cardiac arrest and were rushed to hospital this afternoon after police officers, fire crews and paramedics jumped into the lake to save them.
The fire service was originally told there were six children playing on the lake so are continuing their search at Babbs Mill Lake in case there is anyone else to save.
But medics fear they will no longer be alive due to the age of the kids, the temperature of the water and the length of time in it.
Police also confirmed they will stay at the scene in Solihull, West Midlands through the night “in case there is anyone else that might have been involved”.
And tonight distraught locals wept and hugged each other at the scene, with one saying: “There may be kids still trapped in there. It is heart-breaking.”
The victims are understood to have been playing on the ice covering the water when they fell.
Emergency services swam to the first child and rescued three further children from the water.
The children were brought out of the water and received life supporting care.
One policeman suffered mild hypothermia and went to hospital as a precaution. He is making a full recovery.
West Midland Fire Service’s Richard Stanton told a press conference this evening: “When the fire service arrived on scene we were made aware that there were up to six people potentially in the water.
“After rescuing the four children we are continuing search and rescue operations in the whole lake to confirm whether there are any more in the water.”
He later added: “The specialist medical advice we have been given is that given the temperature, given the age of those believed to have entered the water, and the amount of time they have been there, that this would no longer be a search and rescue operation.”
And he warned adults and children alike to stay away from open water and ice, adding: “We know the weather forecast for the next few days is expected to be bitterly cold.
“Under no circumstances venture on to ice, regardless of how thick or safe you think this ice to be.”
A woman consoling her friend at the scene, who is related to a victim, told The Sun: “This is a terrible thing to have happened, and just before Christmas.
“Youths were out on the ice having fun when it gave way and they fell in. Some have been rescued but there may be kids still trapped in there.
“The rescue teams are doing everything they can, they are working tirelessly in freezing, dark conditions and everyone here is just waiting and praying.
“It is heart-breaking and everyone is frantic with worry.”
Footage given to The Sun shows police officers desperately running to the lake to save the children.
Temperatures have remained below freezing in the area today as snow and ice warnings were issued across the country.
A witness added to Sky News: “I saw firefighters in the lake smashing the ice.”
Emergency services including police, the fire service and ambulance service are on scene.
It comes as freezing temperatures were recorded across parts of the West Midlands with conditions currently 1C in Solihull.
Heavy snow has blasted parts of Britain after a freezing -4C night and forecasters believe things will only get worse with the mercury set to plunge to -10C in the coming days.