Middletown Man Saves Neighbor, 74, From Burning Home

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — A North Middletown man is being hailed as a hero today after he noticed a fire in the home of his next-door neighbor, and ran into the burning home to pull the sleeping older man to safety.

The fire broke out just before 8 o'clock Wednesday morning in a home at 160 Morningside Avenue in North Middletown, according to the all-volunteer Middletown fire department.

Robert Clancy said he was putting his recycling out to the curb at 7:50 a.m. this morning when he noticed heavy, dark-colored smoke coming from his neighbor's house.

Clancy said he knew the older man who lived there, Richard Borucki, 74, had just returned from the hospital and used a walker to help get around.

He knew he needed to do something right away, Clancy would later tell firefighters. Without hesitation, he entered the front door of Borucki’s home and was immediately choked by smoke. Struggling to breathe, he made his way to the back of the house, where he located Borucki, who was fast asleep in a rear bedroom.

Clancy dragged the 74-year-old disabled man to safety from a rear side door. Once Borucki was safe outside, Clancy even went back into the smoke-filled building to retrieve the man's walker.

"I saw Rob fearlessly run into the house to save Rich," said neighbor Michelle Kendrick. "I had gone out to start my car to take my granddaughter to school when I (saw) smoke. I ran over same time Rob did while another neighbor told us she just called 911. He just went in."

Kendrick said that as soon as Clancy dragged the older man out, she brought him over to her house "to keep him warm and feed him and he really wanted coffee."

His family came to get him, she said.

"Mr. Robert Clancy demonstrated a heroic act of kindness under extreme conditions that lead to a successful and positive ending," said the Middletown Fire Dept. in a statement. "Chief Stephen Schweizer wishes to recognize his efforts and will forward the same to the mayor and council."

Borucki said that had it not been for the heroic efforts from his neighbor, he might not be alive.

Neither of the men required medical assistance or a hospital visit, Patch was told. They are both doing well as of Wednesday afternoon.

Borucki told fire crews that because he had only recently been released from the hospital following a year-long stay, the were no functioning smoke alarms in his home.

The fire caused damage to a bedroom, the adjoining rooms and smoke damage throughout. The origin and cause of this fire is under investigation by the Middletown Fire Marshal’s Office. The fire started in a back bedroom of the home.

East Keansburg, Port Monmouth Fire Companies, Belford and Middletown fire companies all responded.

No firefighter injuries were reported while operating on scene. If anyone knows either of these two men, or has a photo of them, or they would like to be interviewed by Patch, email carly.baldwin@patch.com.