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Topics: News
Emily Brown
First responders and emergency service workers have been praised for their efforts to try and save four children who fell through the ice into freezing cold water in a lake in Solihull, West Midlands.
Authorities were called to the scene at Babbs Mill Park in the Kingshurst area of Solihull, West Midlands, near Birmingham at 2.36pm on Sunday (11 December) on reports that four children had fallen through the ice while playing on the lake.
Members of the public and police officers had attempted to rescue the children, but it was specialist water rescue-trained firefighters who managed to reach the group and pull them from the water.
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The children, aged six, eight, 10 and 11, were given immediate life support by ambulance and fire service personnel before being rushed to two Birmingham hospitals; Birmingham Children’s and Heartlands.
All four of the young boys arrived in critical condition, and in an update this morning, West Midlands Police confirmed the eight, 10 and 11-year-old had passed away.
"Sadly, they could not be revived and our thoughts are with their family and friends at this deeply devastating time. We’ll have specialist officers offering them as much support as we can," the force said, adding: “A fourth boy, aged six, remains in a critical condition in hospital.”
Temperatures in the area are thought to have been as low as 1°C (34°F) at the time the boys fell in the lake, falling to -3°C (26°F) overnight.
Authorities are continuing to conduct searches of the lake to establish whether anyone else fell in the water after receiving reports that as many as six children may have been involved in the tragic accident.
The responders have been praised for their heroic efforts to rescue the boys, with Meriden MP Saqib Bhatti, Solihull Councillor Ian Courts, and deputy leader Karen Grinsell all recognising their efforts as they visited the scene on Monday.
Speaking to reporters, Bhatti said: "Clearly there is one officer who has mild hypothermia. In these conditions not to worry about your own safety and just to go after those children is heroic.
“The (search) operation went on all night in these really tough conditions. The whole community will be feeling the pain of this.”
Courts added: “This is just about as bad as it gets… a dreadful situation. We are completely stunned at what’s happened. Clearly our thoughts and prayers have to be with the families in this situation. I can hardly imagine what the families are going through.”
Further tributes have been paid online, where Twitter users also thanked emergency responders for their efforts and shared their thoughts for the families involved.