This is the moment New Jersey police officers catch a three-year-old after his dad throws him out of the first-floor window of a burning building before jumping himself and falling into some bushes.

The footage shows police officers in front of a building that is on fire in the city of Brunswick, in the north-eastern US state of New Jersey, early yesterday morning, on Monday, 7th March.

The police officers can be seen in the footage telling the man, who can be seen leaning out of his first-floor window, that he has to leave the premises immediately.

Apparently spotting a young child, the police officers then repeatedly tell the man to “pass down the baby”.

The police officers can be heard reassuring the father, and with their outstretched arms, they catch the crying child.

The father then comes crashing down himself apparently head first and his fall is broken by some bushes and by the police officers, although they are unable to catch him in the same way that they did his child.

The footage was shared online by the South Brunswick Township Police Department, who said: “Rescue captured on officers’ body-worn camera. Dad throws child out of 2nd-floor window to officers and firefighters, then jumps to escape flames consuming apartment building.”

The second floor of a building in American English refers to the first floor in British English.

The police said that the father and child suffered minor injuries. It is currently unclear what started the fire. It is believed that the police are investigating the incident.