A fire that was caused by a fish tank motor igniting and spreading to a nearby wall was put out in an unusual way, Hackettstown police report.

The heat caused the fish tank to crack in the 100 block of Lafayette Street and the leaking water put out the fire, Sgt. Darren Tynan said in a news release.

When police, fire and rescue personnel arrived after the 5:11 a.m. call, they found heavy smoke in the home, but all the residents were safely out, Tynan said.

An investigation determined what started and stopped the fire, Tynan said.

Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.