An 8-year-old boy who leaped from a second-story window to a police officer during a house fire in New Jersey on Monday is recovering. 

At the break of dawn, Officer Dewitt Bacon, aged 33, was alerted by the cries of a child in distress. He shared the events that unfolded during a press conference the following day, after the fire incident.

According to the Asbury Park Press, he said, “My first thought was to reach the back window. I needed to see him, so I called out for him to get to the window. Once he reached it, I knew I had to get him out immediately. With the fire raging and smoke filling the air, I just smashed through the window as quickly as possible, urging him to escape.” 

The child’s mother rushed home during the emergency from work, the paper reported.

“This marks the second incident in just over a year where a child has been rescued from a house fire in Asbury Park — a stark reminder of the critical role played by swift action, sufficient manpower, and cooperative efforts among regions,” it stated.

Photos shared from the scene by the firefighters union show heavy, red flames and thick, black smoke billowing from the home. 

The cause of the fire remains under investigation by police and two local fire departments.