Two middle-aged men had to be rescued Saturday afternoon after falling through ice at Lake Quinsigamond. Worcester Fire officials said they responded to a report about two people that went through the ice. Just before crews arrived, John Barber said he was doing work in his apartment when he heard people screaming. “I heard these two guys screaming out here,” Barber said. He grabbed his neighbor’s kayak and pushed it out to the ice so the victims could grab on to it. “By that point, my neighbor Dan had been able to get out there as well. So we were able to pull them out as the firemen and crew showed up.” Worcester Fire’s scuba team got the two men to shore in less than five minutes. They were taken to UMass Medical Hospital to be evaluated. Barber said the men were playing hockey when they fell through the ice.

Two middle-aged men had to be rescued Saturday afternoon after falling through ice at Lake Quinsigamond.

Worcester Fire officials said they responded to a report about two people that went through the ice. Just before crews arrived, John Barber said he was doing work in his apartment when he heard people screaming.


“I heard these two guys screaming out here,” Barber said. He grabbed his neighbor’s kayak and pushed it out to the ice so the victims could grab on to it.

“By that point, my neighbor Dan had been able to get out there as well. So we were able to pull them out as the firemen and crew showed up.”

Worcester Fire’s scuba team got the two men to shore in less than five minutes. They were taken to UMass Medical Hospital to be evaluated.

Barber said the men were playing hockey when they fell through the ice.