A quiet afternoon at Ames Pond in Stoughton turned into a full-scale emergency on Thursday when a teenager went under the water and did not come back up, prompting a major rescue effort that stretched for about an hour.
Rescuers from Stoughton and neighboring towns, including regional dive teams, combed the pond before locating the youth and pulling the person from the water. The teenager was rushed to a local hospital in serious condition. Officials have not released the person’s name or additional medical details.
According to Boston 25 News, the Stoughton Fire Department was called to Ames Pond on Highland Street around 2:30 p.m., after a group of teens reported that their friend, who had been paddling on the water, had disappeared beneath the surface. Dive teams and rescue crews found the teenager about an hour into the search, and officers later returned to the pond to remove a canoe from the scene, the outlet reported.
Rescue And Hospitalization
NBC10 Boston reported that the person, described by police and fire officials as about 19 years old, was transported in critical condition to Brockton's Boston Medical Center - South. Massachusetts State Police and Plymouth County dive teams assisted in the response, and Highland Street between West and Canton streets was temporarily shut down while crews worked at the scene.
Neighbors Stunned By Massive Response
Gaethan Lucien, who lives near the pond, told Boston 25 News that he was taken aback by the number of first responders converging on the usually quiet spot, saying he had "never witnessed a response of this magnitude" at Ames Pond.
Stoughton Fire Chief Michael Carroll told the station that the beach area is locked for the season and lifeguards are not yet on duty. He noted that water-rescue calls are uncommon in Stoughton and typically require tight coordination among multiple departments when they do happen.
Investigation Underway
The Norfolk County District Attorney's Office has opened an investigation into the incident, NBC10 Boston reported. Officials have not released additional information about what led to the emergency call or updates on the victim's condition as investigators work to piece together what happened on the water.
What Boaters Should Know
MassWildlife and the state's Environmental Police continue to urge paddlers to wear U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal flotation devices, stressing that cold water can trigger hypothermia quickly, even when the air is warm. The agencies note that canoeists and kayakers are required to wear PFDs from Sept. 15 through May 15, and safety advocates recommend keeping them on year-round, especially early in the season when water temperatures can still be dangerously low.
Highland Street was closed between West and Canton streets during the search but has since reopened, WHDH reported. The investigation remains active, and officials say they will release more details as they become available.
