Police and the Cambridge Fire Department are urging the public to be cautious and avoid any frozen bodies of water due to dangers of thin ice.
Police posted on social media that three children fell through a frozen body of water and had to be pulled out by surrounding residents on Tuesday.
"This afternoon, emergency services responded to a pond in Cambridge after three youth fell in after the ice they were walking on cracked," said WRPS in a post on X.
"Luckily, the boys were able to get out safely with the help of members of the public, and will be okay. Please stay off frozen water bodies. It may appear safe, but the ice may not be thick enough to support your weight, due to the current flowing underneath. Be careful near riverbanks as well, as they will be icy and slippery."
The Cambridge Fire Department also issued a warning reminding residents that frozen retention ponds are unstable and dangerous to be on.
Even if residents are looking to play some pond hockey or are looking for a shortcut, their advice is to go to a local rink or walk around.
"As temperatures start to stay below Zero, ponds may appear to be frozen however ice thickness is very unpredictable, especially in storm ponds. Stay away from these areas," said CFD in a social media post.
Head of bylaw for the City of Cambridge John Mattocks said previously in an interview with CambridgeToday that retention ponds were never built or intended to accommodate ice skating or recreational play.
"These ponds are meant to collect stormwater and contain large amounts of salt, weakening the ice even more," Mattocks said.
He added that water is constantly flowing under the ice making it even more unpredictable and unsafe.
The City of Cambridge also made a video explaining the dangers of these retention ponds and why it is important to avoid them.
