First responders in Saint John say four children and their dog are unharmed after falling through ice on the St. John River Monday afternoon.

Emergency crews responded to the scene off the Belmont neighbourhood near Westfield Road shortly after 3 p.m. The children managed to pull themselves from the water and were trying to rescue the dog.

Platoon Chief Kevin Comeau of the Saint John Fire Department said the teenagers fell through the ice several times trying to save the animal.

"Our crews, where they had the equipment at hand, took the time and rescued the dog from the water," he said.

Once the children were safely on shore, two crew members put on dry suits, hooked on safety lines and headed onto the ice with a floatation device for the dog, which was about 200 feet from the shore. A third firefighter was on shore to pull them in.

The Saint John Police Force said in a statement the children were checked for injuries and deemed fit to return home.

Emergency officials are cautioning the public about stepping onto ice-covered bodies of water.

"At this time, especially with the weather conditions recently where we've had some mild weather and rain, I would definitely recommend taking extra precautions with ice," Comeau said.

"If you're going to go on the ice, then make sure you drill your test hole and check the thickness of the ice before proceeding."