IT'S NOT SAFE
Two snowmobiles plunge through lakes area ice
In separate incidents during the snowy weekend, two men were rescued from area lakes after their snowmobiles plunged through the ice.
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A snowmobiler went through the ice about noon Saturday on Tame Fish Lake, near Deerwood. The rider spent about 20 minutes in the water before being rescued, the Crow Wing County Sheriff's Department reported.
At about 4 p.m. Sunday, a snowmobiler went through the ice about 100 yards from the shores of South Long Lake. Two riding companions on other sleds made it to shore. Brainerd firefighters, using a rescue boat and a hovercraft, were able to pull the man to shore about 20 minutes after he went through the ice.
A snowmobiler left a path of broken ice and open water in his wake about 4 p.m. Sunday after he sped off South Long Lake. One of the rider's companion wasn't as fortunate, however, as his snowmobile sank to the bottom of the lake about 100 yards from shore. The man was rescued by Brainerd firefighters.
Brainerd Dispatch/Matt Erickson
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"What this tells you is stay off the ice," said Assistant Brainerd Fire Chief Kevin Stunek. "The ice is not safe at all. This one was fortunate because we were able to get him out, but he put a lot of other peoples' lives at stake, too."
According to the National Weather Service in Duluth, the storm dropped 12 inches of snow in Hewitt, 11.5 inches in Pequot Lakes, 11 inches in Breezy Point, 10 inches in Nisswa, 9.5 inches in Pillager, 8.5 inches in Pine River, 8 inches in Brainerd and Little Falls and 5.5 inches in Long Prairie.
The snow made travel difficult on area roads and highways. The Minnesota Department of Transportation reported very difficult driving conditions in Aitkin County and fair driving conditions in Cass, Crow Wing, Morrison, Todd and Wadena counties through Monday afternoon.
MnDOT reported blowing snow, packed snow and icy patches on area highways. However, there were few reports of vehicle accidents or vehicles in ditches caused by the winter storm.
Five-year-old Jacob Christenson of Brainerd helped his sister shovel the sidewalk after the season's first snow put a blanket over the middle of the state. Brainerd Dispatch/Kelly Humphrey
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"People did pretty good job staying off roads or going slow," said State Patrol dispatcher Pat Nelson. "It was actually pretty quiet."
State, county and city plows were out in force Sunday morning removing snow. In Brainerd, snow plowing on Monday will start at 6 a.m. on all east-west running streets.
Snow removal in Brainerd's downtown business district will start at 3 a.m. Monday. Vehicles parking on the following streets will be towed at the owners expense: Front Street from South Sixth to South Eighth streets, Laurel Street from South Sixth to South Eighth streets and South Seventh Street from Maple to Front streets.
More snow could be coming. The National Weather Service in Duluth is forecasting a 60 percent chance of snow Tuesday, a 40 percent Tuesday night and a 20 percent chance Wednesday through Saturday.
MATT ERICKSON may be reached at matt.erickson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5857.