Blue Earth Co Sheriff: More signage at Madison Lake after 4 vehicles go under in 2 days

(Mankato, MN) – Officials say they’ll increase signage at Madison Lake after four vehicles plunged into its icy waters over the weekend.

On Sunday, Captain Paul Barta with the Blue Earth County Sheriff’s office said it was “fortunate that no one perished or was injured.”   The press release attached to the email with Barta’s comments detailed three separate incidents of vehicles – carrying a total of ten people – falling through the ice in the narrows area on Madison Lake on Saturday.

According to the release:

• At 11:51 a.m. a Ford Escape broke through the ice and was fully submerged.  Three people escaped the vehicle uninjured.
• At 9:17 p.m., a Dodge Dakota broke through the ice and was fully submerged.  All four occupants of the vehicle escaped uninjured.
• At around 8:45 p.m., a Chevy pickup broke through the ice and fully submerged.  Three people avoided injury and escaped the vehicle.

Despite additional signage posted by the sheriff’s office following the incidents on Saturday, Barta sent yet another email Monday to alert the media of a fourth vehicle submerged in Madison Lake.

“We had an additional pickup go through the ice last night in the same area, Barta said in his email.  “Everyone suffered some level of exposure, but no long-term injuries are expected.  We are taking additional measures to enhance signage in the area.”

This isn’t the first time  that a vehicle has been submerged in a local lake this winter.  Last month, a Janesville man’s fish house and truck (photo above) broke through the ice on Lake Francis.

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