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.

Officials said the fire started in the garage of the home on Kingsley Road around 6 a.m.

Fire officials say a father and four children in were 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.

Santo Livio, 85, said after a lifetime of waking up early for work, he is still an early riser into retirement.

When he woke up and saw smoke coming from the home, he and an unidentified woman who was jogging ran to the house and started banging on the doors and windows.

Livio called 911 as the residents safely evacuated.

“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.

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.

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