Lewisville firefighters pulled a woman and another person from an icy retention pond Sunday afternoon after the woman fell through thin ice while attempting to rescue her dog, authorities confirmed.
The rescue unfolded around 3:10 p.m. at a retention pond along East SH 121 Business amid dangerously cold conditions linked to the winter storm affecting North Texas.
According to the Lewisville Fire Department, the woman entered the pond after her dog broke through the ice. When she reached chest-to-neck-deep water, the severe cold and water depth overwhelmed her and she was unable to climb out. Fire crews waded into the icy water and used ropes to pull her to safety. A second person who entered the water in an attempt to help also required assistance from firefighters before being brought back to solid ground.
Both the woman and the bystander were treated at the scene by emergency personnel for conditions related to cold exposure and the ordeal in the frigid water, the department said. Fire officials noted that, despite their efforts, the dog was not recovered from the pond.
The incident highlights the hazards posed by ice-covered bodies of water during extreme cold, and local authorities have urged residents to exercise caution and avoid walking on frozen ponds or lakes, especially when temperatures and wind chills drop well below freezing.
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