Children fall through ice during field trip on Mantua Reservoir

MANTUA, Utah — Three children are home safe Friday after falling through the ice during a school field trip at Mantua Reservoir.

There were about 50 first and second graders out on the lake — all had to have parents with them on the trip.

The charter school’s director said they took measures to check the ice for safety, but the unexpected still happened.

“The ice was 15 inches thick where they were fishing, so it seemed very safe, and they had professionals there helping them,” said Jennifer Blaine, director of Promontory School of Expeditionary Learning in Perry.

Three kids fell through the ice today, during a school field trip to Mantua Reservoir. All were pulled out safely immediately, by parents & adults who were there. What happened, and how the school responded, coming up on @KSL5TV at 10pm. pic.twitter.com/6N8INbXXxg

— Mike Anderson (@mikeandersonKSL) January 29, 2022

Blaine said several expert fishermen were guiding groups of the kids and parents on the ice Friday morning.

“They’re studying fish in-depth for the semester, and they had the opportunity to go onto Mantua Reservoir and experience ice fishing,” she said.

Blaine said the groups of kids and parents were spread out across the lake.

It’s a field trip the school has been doing for 10 years without any major problems, until now.

Brigham City firefighters believe one or two of the kids stepped into previously dug fishing holes.

“Another child was in a sled, being pulled by a sled dog, and that’s where the ice broke,” Blaine said. “It was thinner west of the lake and went in briefly, but the adult quickly grabbed him out.”

Blaine said the other two kids were also pulled out immediately — one was in up to their ankles, while the other two were up to the waist-level.

Firefighters got everyone off the ice at the time.

Now, there are new warning signs along the west side of the lake, where the ice is more thin.

“We have permission slips and safety precautions and do everything out our end that we can, but accidents still happen,” Blaine said.

Firefighters say there were no injuries.

All three children went home with their parents from the reservoir.

“Thankful that everyone’s safe and grateful that we have community support and help when needed,” Blaine said.  

Blaine said once she got word of the accidents, she put out a smart alert to parents, asking everyone to get off the ice.

By the time she made it to Mantua Reservoir from the school, which is about a 10 minute drive, she said everyone was gone.