MUDDY CREEK TWP — An ice fisherman from Summit Township died Saturday after falling through ice at Lake Arthur, authorities said.

The angler, 73-year-old Kenneth L. Andres, was unconscious when a Moraine State Park ranger pulled him from the icy water shortly after 5 p.m.

Rescuers immediately performed life-saving techniques on Andres before he was taken to Butler Memorial Hospital, where he later was pronounced dead.

The death was ruled an accidental drowning, said Butler County Coroner William Young III. No autopsy was done.

An avid ice fisherman, Andres was fishing alone with his dog and authorities do not know how long he had been in the water, said park manager Dan Bickel.

The shepherd-mix dog also may have fallen into the water but was able to get out. The animal was found by Andres’ truck, which was parked near the park’s regional office on Old Route 422.

Bickel said Andres and his dog had arrived earlier that afternoon and walked about a mile and a half across the lake to its Big Run tributary.

Park officials said signs that warn “ice thickness and conditions are not monitored” are posted on shore at the lake.

Bickel said the ice was about 4 inches thick at the spot where Andres fell in.

“That’s generally substantial enough for one person,” Bickel said. “But it was a warm afternoon (Saturday).”

He speculated that the 50-degree air temperature and multiple holes that had been drilled at the site likely degraded the ice.

Authorities noted that other fishermen earlier that morning, when temperatures were still at or below freezing, had been using the same site. Andres possibly was using holes the other fishermen had drilled into the ice.

Andres was wearing a life jacket and was equipped with ice picks and throw rope when he fell in. Still, he was unable to get himself out.

“He had everything with him that he should have had,” Bickel said, “but his wet clothes weighed him down.”

A motorist on Route 422 spotted something strange on the lake and alerted authorities at 4:50 p.m.

“A passerby saw orange in the water and called 911,” Bickel said. The bright color, he noted, was from Andres’ life jacket.

Rick Carson, chief park ranger, was first there and placed a pontoon-style rescue sled on the still frozen lake to safely reach Andres.

Portersville volunteer firefighters also assisted.

Paramedics performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation on Andres, who apparently never regained consciousness after being taken by ambulance to the hospital.

Park officials later recovered the remnants of Andres’ cell phone.

Authorities also eventually found the man’s dog back at his pickup. The dog was wet, Bickel said, suggesting the animal may also have fallen into the water with Andres.

Ice fishing was a favorite pastime for Andres, a retired mason and bricklayer.

“I saw him multiple times this year out fishing on the ice,” said Bickel, who lives near the lake.

Before his outing Saturday, Andres had told his wife and friends about his plans.

“The lesson learned from this,” said Bickel, “never ice fish alone.”

The Thompson-Miller Funeral Home in Butler is handling funeral arrangements.