A man was forced to toss his 3-year-old son and also jump from a second-floor window of a building to escape a fire in a heart-pounding video from New Jersey, US.
In the footage shared by the South Brunswick Township Police Department's public relations office, we can see several panicked first responders near the building, which is enveloped in flames and smoke. Standing beneath the building with their arms spread, the officers try to persuade the man trapped on the second floor to throw his infant down.
We can hear the officers shouting “pass the baby down”. As the father clears a passage out the window, we can see debris raining down. He then tosses the horrified infant out the window before leaping from the second storey, head first.
The incident occurred last week and the terrifying ordeal was captured on an officer's body camera.
The South Brunswick PD captioned the post, “Rescue captured on officers' body worn camera. Dad throws child out 2nd floor window to officers and firefighters, then jumps to escape flames consuming apartment building.”
Watch the video here:
Rescue captured on officers' body worn camera. Dad throws child out 2nd floor window to officers and firefighters, then jumps to escape flames consuming apartment building. pic.twitter.com/Ku5jQ6sOUy
— So Brunswick PD (@SoBrunswickPD) March 7, 2022
The video has been viewed over 7,500 times with many user praising the rescue efforts of the officers.
One user wrote, “Thank God those officers were there to catch the baby and it's father.”
Thank God those officers were there to catch the baby and it's father!
— Carol James (@cajames) March 7, 2022
A couple of users also hailed the “first responders”.
Amazing job to all the First Responders!!!!
— Tracy Pobutkiewicz DeCristoforo (@Tracy09600944) March 7, 2022
Wow!!!!So great! God bless those first responders and their families!????????????
— Esor (@Bulliedvaxed12) March 8, 2022
Another user applauded the “solid work” by the officers “for the family in their time of need”.
Solid work brothers being there for the family in their time of need. South Brunswick PD and FD working together to save lives and property ????
— Ryan Daughton (@rocky7288) March 7, 2022
Here are a few more reactions:'
Heroes !! Thank God they were there in time!
— Vanessa Dantas C (@Vanessaseesir) March 8, 2022
Thank you so much for all your efforts. That footage is amazing. So glad they escaped!
— Surf (@surfnyolly7) March 8, 2022
A report in CBS News quoted South Brunswick Township Police Department's Sergeant John Penney as saying, “You see a child, it just cranks up the adrenaline”. Mr Penney added that the situation was deteriorating quite quickly, and the “smoke was pouring out above him”.
Another report in ABC7 New York quoted South Brunswick Fire Marshal John Funcheon as saying, “It was nearly 15 minutes from the first 911 call to when the dad and toddler escaped the through the window. It was the closed bedroom door that kept the fire from entering the bedroom.”
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