ELKHART COUNTY, Ind. — A Syracuse man died Monday afternoon after falling through the ice on a private pond while attempting to rescue his dog, according to Indiana Conservation Officers.

Emergency crews were called around 4 p.m. to the pond near the 70000 block of County Road 29. Investigators said Phillip Hoover, 69, went onto the ice to reach his dog when the ice gave way and he fell into the water.

First responders pulled Hoover from the pond and transported him to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The dog was also recovered and was not injured, officials said.

Conservation officers urged residents to use extreme caution around frozen bodies of water, noting that “no ice is safe ice.” They advise testing ice thickness, wearing flotation gear, carrying ice picks, and informing others before going out.

The Elkhart County Sheriff’s Office, Syracuse Police Department, New Paris Fire Department, Foraker Fire Department, Turkey Creek Fire Department, and the Elkhart County Coroner’s Office assisted at the scene.