Ice fisherman rescued from lake near St. Williams
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A 70-year-old ice fisherman was rescued from Lake Erie west of Booths Harbour during the noon hour on Sunday.
The angler was about 200 yards off shore. Due to high winds he was unable to make it back to shore, Norfolk County Fire Department said on Twitter.
Norfolk fire and water rescue crews were called in at just before 12 p.m.
A rescue team made their way out to his location and brought him safely back to shore where he was assessed by Norfolk County Paramedics. He was not injured.
Norfolk OPP Const. Ed Sanchuk said people need to use common sense and stay off the ice. “Don’t put yourself and others at risk” by going on the lake, he said.
“We’re very luck we’re not dealing with a fatality here,” he said on Twitter.
The St. Williams rescue was just one of numerous calls handled by emergency personnel as high winds battered Norfolk.
Norfolk communities along the Lake Erie shoreline were hit hard by the windstorm which resulted in major flooding.
In Port Dover, firefighters and the Norfolk OPP assisted in evacuating a 77-year-old woman whose home was flooded on River Drive.
Branches and trees were downed throughout the county and some areas were impacted by power outages.
A tree fell on a vehicle travelling on Victoria Street in Simcoe on Sunday afternoon. The driver was not injured.
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