BARNESVILLE — Barnesville Fire Department and EMS were called to a Barnesville reservoir Friday evening due to a resident falling through the frozen surface of the reservoir.

Barnesville Fire Chief Tim Hall said a father and son were ice fishing at the reservoir when the father fell through the ice.

His son called 911.

Hall said the individual who fell through the ice was submerged from his chest down in the icy water for 45 minutes.

According to Hall, the man was able to tread water while waiting to be rescued by holding onto the surface ice with his elbows and forearms.

Hall and his crew were able to rescue the man by fire department crew members sliding a small, flat bottomed boat on top of ice to where he was treading water. Once the crew members were able to get to him, they used ropes to pull him into the boat then slid him to the shore.

Hall said Barnesville Fire Department and EMS, Barnesville Police Department and the Belmont County Sheriff’s Department were all on the scene to ensure this individual was able to be rescued.

Hall added that once the man was rescued from the water he was flown by medical helicopter to WVU Medicine Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown, West Virginia.