Two young men horsing around on thin ice in Central Park fell into the frigid pond waters today — and brought along three first responders trying to pull them out, police and witnesses said.
The victims — ages 19 and 20 — plunged into the water at the south end of the park, near Sixth Avenue and West 59th Street, around 2:05 p.m. today, police said.
They had been walking on thin ice, “taking pictures” and “goofing around” far away from the edge of the frozen lake — which is off-limits this time of year, several witnesses said.
“One was doing a little dance,” one of the witnesses told The Post. “The one who did the dance hopped on one foot, then he hopped on the other foot.
“I was going to leave but I thought, ‘That’s so dumb. I’d better stay here. They might fall through,’” she added. “And they did.”
One of the victims was able to pull himself out of the water in a matter of seconds, witnesses said. The other stayed on the frigid pond for at least 10 minutes before first responders arrived.
While waiting for FDNY to arrive, a park worker armed with a rope tried to get close to pull the victim out — but his rope was too short, another witness told The Post.
A police officer arrived and tried to help out but his rope was also too short.
“The police officer threw his ring to the park employee so he could tie it together — and at that instant the police officer fell into the water near the edge and my co-worker who was beside him fell in,” a park worker who witnessed the rescue said.
Without a long-enough rope, the employee closest to the victim started to return to the edge when “everything started crumbling around him and then he fell into the water too,” the worker said.
FDNY rescuers arrived minutes later.
Firefighters put a ladder across the thin ice. One of the rescuers, wearing a wetsuit, could jump into the water to pull out the victim, who had been in the frigid pond for at least 10 to 15 minutes by then, witnesses said.
Rescue workers plucked out cop and the park workers who fell in — while the firefighter in the body suit tied a rope around the teen and pulled him to safety.
The victims, whose names were not released, were in stable condition at Cornell Hospital, where they are being treated for hypothermia, officals said.
At least two rescue workers who waded into the freezing waters were taken to the same hospital to be checked for hypothermia, authorities said.
Police plan to issue trespassing summons, officials said.
kconley@nypost.com