A tragic accident at Albany’s Washington Park has left the community in shock. Two children fell through thin ice on Saturday afternoon, costing both of them their lives. 

What You Need To Know

  • Two children fell through ice at Washington Park Lake in Albany 

  • Officials on Monday stressed the importance of ice safety and education 

  • DEC recommends at least four inches of clear ice for safe activites 
  • New signage warns visitors to keep off the ice

According to Albany Interim Police Chief Brendan Cox, officers responded to a call at approximately 4:30 p.m. about individuals who had fallen into the water at Washington Park Lake. Despite rescue efforts, a 12-year-old boy lost his life, and an 11-year-old girl, who was in critical condition at Albany Medical Center hospital, died on Tuesday, according to city police.

Mayor Kathy Sheehan emphasized the city’s focus on education, stating, “We are really focused on working with the school district to ensure that the message gets out to all of the children in the school district about just how dangerous it is to engage in walking out onto that ice.”

In response to the incident, new signs have been posted around the lake, urging visitors to stay off the ice. The city is also considering multilingual signage, as one of the children involved is from a migrant family.

Steve Jackson, a DEC forest ranger, warned about the unpredictable nature of ice conditions.

“Ice is very dynamic. There can be weak spots in certain areas if you’re not familiar with the body of water. It could potentially put you in a potentially dangerous situation,” Jackson said.

The state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) recommends a minimum of four inches of clear ice for safe activities, while emphasizing that ice thickness can vary across water bodies.

Jackson advised, “If you at any point do not feel safe on the ice, then get off. Come back. Go back the way that you came that you knew the ice was solid up until that point.”

As the community grieves, officials are urging residents across New York to heed safety warnings and avoid venturing onto untested ice.

For more information on ice safety, visit the DEC’s website.