A 63-year-old Orland man and his dog died Wednesday night when the truck they were driving in broke through the ice on Alamoosook Lake.
Brian Wardwell was driving on the lake in Orland around 7:15 p.m. when the truck went through the ice, according to the Maine Warden Service. A man on shore heard Wardwell yelling and attempted to rescue him, but he also broke through the ice.
The second man was able to to get out of the water and call 911. Local firefighters put on dry suits and found Wardwell floating and unresponsive in 10 feet of water, according to the warden service. They brought him to shore but attempts to revive him were unsuccessful.
“Ice conditions are poor in parts of the state, particularly along the coast,” Game Warden Alan Gillis said in a prepared statement. “People need to check the ice in several spots before venturing out and we are advising people not to take vehicles on the ice.”
The Maine Warden Service, Orland EMS, Bucksport EMS and LifeFlight all responded to the incident.
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