ATV and rider through the ice on Birch Lake

On March 2nd, 2024 at approximately 07:10 A.M., Area first responders were notified of a person who had fallen through the ice on their ATV. The reporting party identified the location as being on the North Bay area of Birch Lake, outside of the City of Babbitt, MN. 

The driver and lone occupant, a 64-year-old male from the Babbitt area, was driving on the lake when they encountered a pressure ridge. The driver attempted to stop but ultimately slid into the open water created by the pressure ridge. The ATV had sunk in the water and the driver was partially submerged. 

The driver was pulled from the water (and eventually his machine), with assistance from the Babbitt Fire Department and the reporting party. The male was not injured, other than being wet and cold.

The Sheriff's Office reminds citizens that with the mild winter and unseasonable weather as of late, no lake should be considered safe, and to exercise extreme caution should you decide to venture out onto the ice.  

The Sheriff's Office was assisted by the Babbitt Police Department, the Babbitt Fire Department, and the St. Louis County Volunteer Rescue Squad.