Man Dies After Falling Through Ice at Eastern Iowa Park

One man has died after falling through ice at a park near Palo.

The Cedar Rapids Gazette reports that the accident happened at Chain Lakes County Park near Palo. According to a press release from the Linn County Sheriff's Department, three men fell through the ice in a lake behind 8105 Chain Lake Road while ice fishing at around 2:40 p.m. The Gazette reports that when emergency crews arrived on the scene, two of the men had pulled the third, who was unconscious, to the shore.

The Gazette reports that first responders started CPR and the man was then taken by ambulance to Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids where he was pronounced dead. The two other men were taken to local hospitals and treated for hypothermia. The identities of the three men are not being released pending notification of relatives.

 The Iowa Department of Natural Resources began warning Iowans in late January about the potential dangers of thin ice. WHO reports that the warming temperatures are only part of the problem. DNR officials say despite the sub-zero weather we experienced earlier this month, the lack of snowfall in Iowa this winter means that the ice wasn't as insulated as in previous years.

The lack of snow also means that ice will melt faster in many areas.

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