---

Police officers responding to an early morning blaze at a Maidenstone Drive home were successfully able to rescue a child from an upstairs bedroom, according to an Ocean Township Police Department news statement.

Officers Chris Clune and Arthur Barnek were in the midst of a residential patrol, when they noticed ash in the air and some smoke in the distance near 3:35 a.m. Tuesday, police officials said.

The two officers, Chris Clune and Arthur Barnek, called for fire department response and immediately ran toward the house, woke and evacuated the family, officials said.

“They first encountered the homeowner holding a small child, she indicated that there was also another child in an upstairs bedroom,” a department spokesman said. “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.”

No injuries were reported and all the family members were accounted for, officials said.

The Township’s District 2 Fire Marshal Thomas Haegy said the blaze started at an  exterior electrical light planted in the mulch.

Wanamassa and Oakhurst Fire departments responded and the fire remains under investigation.

[Photo courtesy of Ocean Township Police Department Body Camera]

—————————————————————————————–

Follow the Asbury Park Sun on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

The Asbury Park Sun is affiliated with the triCityNews newspaper.

---