Four people were drowned Friday afternoon in an ice-covered puddle in the city of Shizuishan, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, said the local police source.

The accident took place at around one o'clock PM when a child fell into an ice-covered puddle.

Some passers-by immediately jumped into the water to save the child, but three failed to come out of the puddle again.

The local police rushed to the scene but failed to rescue the four due to thick ice.

The identities of the dead are still unknown. Investigation into the cause is underway.

(Xinhua News Agency December 31, 2005)