Dad drops young son to rescuers as apartment building burns

SOUTH BRUNSWICK, N.J. (AP) — A man trapped by a fast-moving fire in a New Jersey apartment building dropped his young child into the waiting arms of police and firefighters, who then also caught the man, authorities said.

The fire at the South Ridge complex in South Brunswick was reported around 8:15 a.m. Monday, and emergency responders found flames shooting from the second and third floors of the rear of one of the buildings,

The man and his son, who appeared to be a toddler, were on a second-floor balcony when authorities told the dad to drop the boy. Three officers and a firefighter caught the child, and the father soon followed. Both were treated for undisclosed minor injuries.

Four other people were being treated for smoke inhalation, including one who was hospitalized, authorities said. Roughly 50 people were displaced by the fire, which remains under investigation.