Dad throws son to safety from burning building before jumping into arms of emergency services

A father trapped in a burning building with his young son threw the boy from a first floor window into the arms of waiting police officers and firefighters, before they caught him too.

The father and son, who is thought to be around three years old, suffered only minor injuries in their escape from their New Jersey flat.

Emergency services said the fire in South Brunswick broke out at around 8.15am on Monday and flames were soon shooting from the first and second floor windows.

The father and son were at the first floor window when authorities told him to drop the child into the outstretched arms of three police officers and a firefighter, and the dad then followed.

Four other people in the block of flats were treated for smoke inhalation, including one who was hospitalised, authorities said.

South Brunswick Police Department said six homes were destroyed in the blaze, leaving 20 people, including nine children, homeless.