No one was seriously injured, including the dog, but it could have ended up differently after a black Labrador ran onto an icy Mill Pond in Milltown. Watch video
MILLTOWN -- No one was seriously injured, including the dog, but it could have ended up differently after a black Labrador ran onto an icy Mill Pond and became trapped Tuesday morning.
Police Sgt. Brian Knelle and Ralph Jasionowski, the manager of public works for Milltown, rescued the dog, but both men ended up in the cold water when the ice cracked, according to police Chief Raymond Geipel.
"They went in up to their waists," Geipel said.
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He said the Milltown Rescue Squad was also on hand and took Jasionowski to St. Peters University Hospital in New Brunswick to get checked out.
"It was just a precaution," the chief said, adding he checked out ok.
It all started in the morning when a borough resident was walking his dog along the pond, "off his leash" and the dog ran onto the ice.
"The dog fell through the ice and was trapped in the water," Geipel said. "At first they tried to break the ice to free him, but that didn't work."
So Knelle tied a rope around Jasionowski who crawled out and rescued the dog, but after the dog came to shore, the ice cracked, throwing both men into the water. The men had to pull each other out of the water, Geipel said.
"It was a job well done," the chief said, knowing everyone made it out without injury.
Sue Epstein may be reached at sepstein@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @susan_epstein. Find NJ.com on Facebook.