By Joe Knight
Leader-Telegram
CHIPPEWA FALLS, Wis. — Two ice fishermen died Sunday afternoon after falling through the ice at Glen Loch Flowage north of Chippewa Falls.
The victims were a 33-year-old man from Bloomer and a 76-year-old from Chippewa Falls.
One was found fully submerged and trapped under the ice, while the other was partially in the water, according to the Chippewa County sheriff’s office.
The accident was reported at 2:39 p.m.
Both men were given CPR as they were transported to an area hospital, said Sgt. Andy Clark of the sheriff’s office. They were both pronounced dead at the hospital.
Glen Loch is a 39-acre impoundment on Duncan Creek.
On Sunday afternoon, portions of the western side of the lake had open water, but ice covered the eastern side of the lake near the Ojibwa Country Club, where anglers have been fishing.
A neighbor, who declined to give his name, said his wife heard someone calling for help from the lake Sunday afternoon. They called 911 around 2:40 p.m., and he attempted to reach one man by sliding an aluminum canoe over the ice but was breaking through the thin ice himself and was unable to reach the individual calling for help.
Tom Ripienski of Chippewa Falls said eight or nine ice fishermen were out on the lake Saturday, but the lake looked like it had less ice on Sunday.
“I knew somebody was going to go through sooner or later,” he said.
Dave Spooner, who lives on Glen Loch, said over the past two weeks the lake has alternated between open water and having ice, as the weather has fluctuated. But when there has been ice, the anglers have been out, he said.
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©2015 the Leader-Telegram (Eau Claire, Wis.)