PARSIPPANY — A man was severely burned in a house fire in the township's Lake Hiawatha section Tuesday night, police said.

Donald Peloubet was taken by ambulance to the burn unit at Saint Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, according to Lt. John Wieners.

UPDATE: Peloubet died of his injuries at the hospital, police said Wednesday.

Two firefighters were treated for smoke inhalation and burns, Wieners said.

Neighbor Bill Donnelly, who lives two doors from Peloubet on Dacotah Avenue, said he was standing near his backyard pool when he saw flames coming from Peloubet’s ranch home. Wieners said police responded to the scene at about 7:46 p.m.

Donnelly, a former township firefighter, told NJ.com he rushed to the front door — as the side door was engulfed in flames — but was unable to pry it open. Donnelly said he spoke with Peloubet through the front door while he was still trapped inside the home.

"I was surprised when he answered me, because that was the worst case scenario," Donnelly said.

Minutes later, Parsippany District 4 Fire Chief Brian Cleary and firefighters arrived on the scene and got the front door open after struggling to pry it open, he said.

Flames pushed Cleary and firefighters back once the door was opened, but they were able to get inside after firefighters knocked down some of the fire, Donnelly said. Cleary and another firefighter ran in and pulled Peloubet from the flames, he said.

"What he did was heroic," Donnelly said of the fire chief. "(Peloubet) was six feet inside. It was a struggle to get the door open. Flames started coming out the front door and that’s when I saw him go in the house."

Firefighters put out the fire in about 30 minutes but the house was badly damaged, Wieners said.

Township police and the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office are investigating, he said.

Justin Zaremba with NJ.com and Richard Khavkine with The Star-Ledger contributed to this report.

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