Child, 9, Saved From Middletown House Fire New Year's Day

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — A 9-year-old boy was saved from a house fire that broke out early New Year's Day in Middletown Township, the Middletown volunteer fire department announced Tuesday.

The fire broke out at 1:36 a.m. on Monday, January 1 at a home on Blossom Circle East in the Old Village section of Middletown Township. A neighbor called 911 to report they could see flames from the backyard and initially thought it may have been a brush fire. However, when firefighters got there they discovered the home's two cars were on fire and the significant winds that night had spread the flames to the house.

When Chief Anthony Citarella, who is himself a Middletown resident, got there the family was just exiting through the front doorway. At first the parents thought all the children were out, but the mother then noticed her 9-year-old son was missing. With all his gear and a breathing mask on, Chief Citarella ran into the home, looking for the child, said Dennis Fowler, a spokesman for the department.

The home had already started to fill with smoke when Citarella found the boy back in his bedroom, Fowler said.

"He apparently had gotten scared and ran back," Fowler said. "It was quite cold out at one in the morning, so you can see how he would have panicked and not wanted to go outside."

Citarella carried the child outside. Both were fine and did not require any further medical attention.

The fire was considered under control at 2:20 a.m. New Year's Day. What first sparked the blaze remains under investigation. The Middletown fire dept. usually provides photos from the scene, but there were no photos from this incident.

Approximately 35 members from three companies responded to the call, from East Keansburg Fire Company, Middletown Fire Company Number 1, and the Old Village Fire Company. The MTFD Air Unit as well as the Safety Unit responded and operated at the scene. Middletown EMS units from Fairview First Aid responded and provided rehab as well medical services.

Editor's note: Patch was originally told by firefighters the boy was 5 years old. However, he is 9 years old. Also, firefighters told Patch the fire occurred on Peach Blossom; however, it was Blossom Circle East. And the home was a single-story dwelling.

Image via Morguefile