As temperatures rise across Minnesota, authorities point to two near-misses Wednesday as reminders to stay off thinning ice.
On Lake Minnetonka's Wayzata Bay, a sport utility vehicle went through the ice about 11 a.m. The incident happened so close to shore that a "thin ice" warning sign was right in view.
The driver made it out safely, the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office said, while also warning that ice conditions are deteriorating quickly.
"Today's incident marks the first vehicle through the ice in Hennepin County this winter," Sheriff Rich Stanek said. "Let's make sure it's the last."
In Duluth, firefighters were called to Park Point about 3 p.m. to rescue a woman who had slid into about 4 feet of frigid Lake Superior water while trying to retrieve her dog from the ice.
The firefighters were helped by a good Samaritan, who was using a dog leash to help pull the woman to safety.
The woman did not go to the hospital, but fire crews worked to preserve her body heat before getting her to a rescue vehicle and dry clothes.
The dog was out of the water by the time firefighters arrived.
