Fire chief says children playing on frozen river the most "irresponsible" thing he's seen in 29 years
Prince George fire chief John Iverson said an event that occurred on Christmas Eve is now the most irresponsible thing he's seen in his 29 year career.
Earlier that day, two young children were found playing on ice on top of the Fraser and Nechako rivers, a move city officials have been warning against for weeks.
"In my 29 year career at Prince George Fire Rescue Service I've seen numerous tragedies caused by irresponsible behaviour," Iverson wrote in a public message.
"Nothing compares to today's even where a parent knowingly put their children in harm's way."
He warned that falling through the ice on one of the rivers would likely be fatal.
"If a person isn't swept under the pack ice by the current they will succumb to hypothermia within minutes."
City parks closed, but barricades being removed
City of Prince George spokesperson Michael Kellett said that's the message officials have been trying to communicate since a cold snap caused an ice jam at the confluence of the Fraser and Nechako Rivers two weeks ago.
He explained unlike lakes, which can freeze enough to be safe to walk on, frozen rivers pose an extreme risk as moving water continues to create instability under the frozen surface.
"It's actually quite dangerous to go out there, not just for yourself, but for any emergency personnel who have to go out there to rescue you," he said.
Some trails had already been closed, but following the Christmas Eve incident officials opted to close the entirety of Cottonwood Island Park as well as a portion of the Heritage River Trail.
However, even that hasn't been enough to keep people away.
"People had removed the barricades and gone in anyway," Kellett said of Cottonwood Island Park. "So we're asking people to please heed our advice and stay out of that park.
Kellett said it's frustrating when warnings are ignored, but acknowledged there's only so much that can be done when it comes to closing off such a large area.
"If someone is determined to go into the park, they're going to go into the park, and all we can do is advise them."
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