Jogger, 85-year-old neighbor save family from house fire in South Brunswick, New Jersey
NEW BRUNSWICK, New Jersey (WABC) -- A family in South Brunswick was woken up by a neighbor and jogger passing by to find their home was on fire early Wednesday morning.
Santo Livio, 85, said after a lifetime of waking up early for work, he is still an early riser into retirement. Livio went outside to start his day and noticed haze coming from a nearby home.
"I noticed a puff of smoke I thought it was fog," Livio said. "I said there's no fog."
Livio said a woman jogging by stopped near him spotting the same thing.
We both stopped and she said is that fire and smoke," Livio said. "We said it's got to be fire."
That's when Livio and the woman jumped into action.
She starts to run, she was banging on the door I was banging on the window," Livio said. "I said I'll go home and call 911. Police and firefighters started coming and the smoke became a blaze."
Fire officials say a father and four children were inside the home at the time. Their mother was not home because she was working the overnight shift.
Authorities said fire alarms did not go off in the home.
The family said they were sleeping and had no idea the house was on fire until they heard the banging.
"I credit Mr. Livio, along with the unidentified woman, and their quick thinking and heroic actions, with saving the family, "Chief Raymond J. Hayducka said.
Officials said the fire started in the garage of the home on Kingsley Road around 6 a.m.
It took 50 firefighters from three township departments about 20 minutes to extinguish the fire.
It appears the fire started in the garage, but investigators are trying to determine the source and point of origin.
The father of the family said he's grateful to first responders and the two Good Samaritans who helped save them.
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