Police urge caution: 3 people fall through Lake Ontario ice near Toronto Islands

'A two-day flash freeze will not make ice safe to walk or skate on,' police said

Three people are being treated by paramedics after falling through the ice on Lake Ontario near the Toronto Islands.

Toronto police were called to the area around 8:30 a.m. on Monday with reports of people in the water screaming for help, according to Const. Laura Brabant.

She said police, fire officials and paramedics all attended the scene, where they found three adults all conscious and breathing.

According to police, two people were skating and fell through the ice. A third person then tried to help and also fell through.

Over the last week, extremely cold temperatures brought on a flash freeze to shorelines around Lake Ontario and surrounding water ways in Toronto, police said.

"A two-day flash freeze will not make ice safe to walk or skate on," police said in a news release, urging people to stay off the ice.

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"The incident this morning could easily have ended in tragedy."

Environment Canada is forecasting mild temperatures this week, along with rain, causing the snow and ice to melt and create "dangerous" and "slippery" conditions.

For tips on what to do should you or your dog fall through thin ice, watch the video that leads this article.

This article was originally published for CBC News.

(Thumbnail credit: Michael Cole/CBC)