Ice ‘extremely unsafe,’ Hamilton police say after six end up in water

HAMILTON — Police in Hamilton are warning of extremely unsafe ice conditions after two youths fell into the city’s harbour and four more jumped in to save them.

Police say they were called Saturday after two people fell through the ice near the Pier 7 Boardwalk at the western edge of Lake Ontario.

When officers arrived, a bystander told them there were six people in the water, but all were safely pulled to shore by police.

One youth, who had been submerged briefly, was taken to hospital for assessment, while the others were assessed by paramedics at the scene.

Police say bystanders told them that the pair who originally went in the water had been warned to get off the ice and when one of them noticed the ice bending under them they tried to jump away, causing both to fall through.

The police department says recent fluctuating temperatures have made ice conditions tenuous, and while it may appear that the ice is solid, it can quickly become thin and unstable.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 8, 2026.