UPDATE: North Brunswick Fire Now Under Control

A young mother and her baby were trapped on a balcony Tuesday morning while a three-alarm fire raged around them, leaving the woman with no choice: She dropped her baby off a second-story balcony into the hands of a police officer, and then she herself jumped.

The fire broke out at approximately 8:13 a.m. Tuesday at an apartment complex at 114 Willowbrook Drive in North Brunswick. 

North Brunswick Police Officer Nate Nicholson found the woman stranded on a balcony in one of the units, holding her baby and screaming for help. Officer Nicholson convinced the woman to drop the baby to him, and he caught the child safely.

The mother then jumped to him as well. Both mother and child were transported to the hospital as a precautionary measure, according to Janice Larkin, assistant to North Brunswick Mayor Francis Womack.

11 a.m. update: The fire has been put out, but firefighters remain at the scene, checking for hot spots, said Janice Larkin, assistant to North Brunswick Mayor Francis Womack.

The fire broke out at around 8 a.m. Tuesday, Larkin said, at an 8-unit condo complex at 19 Willowbrook Drive.

All units were evacuated during the fire, and no residents were injured, she said. There were, however, two firefighters who were treated at the scene.

The Willlowbrook townhouses have been declared uninhabitable due to the heavy smoke and water damage, Larkin said.

10:30 a.m. original post: Firefighters are currently battling a three-alarm structure fire in North Brunswick at 19 Willowbrook Drive.

The fire is being reported on Twitter as a heavy blaze raging through a townhouse complex. There was a roof collapse, and three firefighters were briefly unaccounted for, and possibly trapped. All firefighters have now been located and are safe. But the heavy fire continues.

More updates to come as we get them. Check back to Patch for updates on this breaking story.

Photos courtesy North Brunswick Police Department