Ocean Township Police Save Family From Early Morning Blaze

OCEAN TOWNSHIP, NJ - Two township police officers were on a routine early morning patrol when they spotted ash and smelled smoke in the air.

Officers Chris Clune and Arthur Barnek quickly headed down Maidenstone Drive at 3:35 a.m. on Nov. 7 to find flames and heavy smoke coming from the back of a home.

Because of their actions, all the family members in the home were safely evacuated, Lt. Timothy R. Torchia said.

The officers notified the fire department, ran towards the house, woke the occupants and evacuated the family, he said.

"They first encountered the homeowner holding a small child," Torchia said. "She indicated that there was also another child in an upstairs bedroom. Barnek quickly ran upstairs and retrieved the child from her crib and exited the residence. After Barnek exited the residence Clune conducted a search of the first floor locating another family member sleeping in a bedroom. He was escorted from the residence and all family members were accounted for."

The Wanamassa and Oakhurst fire departments responded and extinguished the blaze in the rear of the home.

The fire is believed to have started in an exterior electrical light planted in some mulch, said District 2 Fire Marshall Thomas Haegy. The fire remains under investigation.

Body Cam Photo: Ocean Township Police Department