ATV and its driver fell into open water on Birch Lake

On Saturday morning at approximately 7:10 AM, area first responders were notified of a person that had fallen through the ice on their ATV. The reporting party identified the location as the North Bay area of Birch Lake, outside of the City of Babbitt.

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

With assistance from the Babbitt Fire Department and the reporting party, the driver was pulled from the water, and the ATV was eventually removed as well. 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, that 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.