Four children are in a critical condition after being pulled from a lake in the West Midlands after reportedly falling through ice.
They are receiving emergency treatment after being rescued from the freezing water, emergency services confirmed.
Police were scrambled to the scene after reports of people playing on the ice who had gone under.
Superintendent Richard Harris, of West Midlands Police, told an emergency services press conference: “Four children were rescued from the lake and subsequently taken to hospital.
“On behalf of West Midlands Police we understand how distressing this is for families and the wider community and we are doing everything we can support all those involved.”
We are currently at the scene of a serious incident at Babbs Mill Park, Fordbridge Road, #Kingshurst, #Solihull.
— West Midlands Police (@WMPolice) December 11, 2022
A number of people have been pulled from a lake and are being transported to hospital. They are believed to be in a critical condition. pic.twitter.com/lYUB6kZJRK
Cameron McVittie, a tactical commander with West Midlands Ambulance, said: “On being rescued, the four children were taken under blue lights to hospital with an advanced care team.
“Two were taken to Birmingham Children’s Hospital and two to Heartlands in Birmingham. All four children were in critical condition on arrival.”
He added: “There are no updates. They are all in critical condition when they arrived in hospital. added that the four children were in cardiac arrest when they came out of the water, and are currently on life support.
He said: “There’s no clinical updates at this stage, as stated they were all in a critical condition on arrival at hospital.”
“Unfortunately, the children in the water were in cardiac arrest and were receiving advanced life support en route to hospital,” he added.
Asked if they know how long the children were in the water for, he said: “Unfortunately not at this stage.”
On whether there have been any fatalities, he said: “There is no clinical update at this stage.”
West Midlands Police Superintendent Richard Harris told reporters that they would not confirm whether the children were siblings or their gender at this stage.
Police said they are working alongside West Midlands Fire and the ambulance service and that they were still involved in a search and rescue operation.
Officers have taped off the lake amid witness reports that the injured people had fallen through ice.
Richard Stanton, West Midlands Fire and Rescue Service area commander, said: “When the fire service arrived at the scene, we were made aware there were up to six people in the water.
“So after rescuing the four children, we have continued the search and rescue operation to confirm whether there were any more in the water.”
He added: “The specialist medical advice we have been given on the scene, given the temperature of the water, given the age of those who entered the water and the amount of time they have been in there, this would no longer be a search and rescue operation.”
An earlier fire service statement said: “Reports from the scene and videos on social media indicate that people had been playing on the ice on a pond and had fallen through.
“Our specialist water rescue teams arrived and acted assertively to take control of the scene and carry out rescues using specialist equipment and entering the water.
“Casualties have received medical support at the scene from both firefighters and ambulance personnel prior to being taken to nearby hospitals.”
Babbs Mill Park is a local nature reserve with a lake, river, wildflower grasslands and woodlands.
