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The incident took place in Dutchess County around 10 a.m., Sunday, Oct. 23 in the city of Poughkeepsie.
Poughkeepsie Mayor Rob Rolison was on his way to a church service when driving on Delafield Street he hear a loud fire alarm and smoke coming from the second floor of a home.
The mayor pulled over and crossed the street at the same time two women were calling 911 for help.
"I ran across the road and stopped and called 911 while the really loud fire alarm was blaring from the home," Rolison said.
After calling 911 for the fire department to respond, the mayor ran to the first floor and banged on the door until a young girl opened it.
The mayor explained to the girl there was a fire upstairs and soon her father came out and the two left the building.
He then ran to the upstairs apartment where he found a Mum in a pot on fire with a lot of paper and debris right underneath it.
He grabbed the plant and moved it to safety and ran back upstairs to alert the residents of the plant fire.
Eventually, two men came to the door and they left the apartment just as the fire department was arriving, Rolison said.
The city of Poughkeepsie firefighters began venting the smoke as the danger had passed, he added.
A former police officer and volunteer firefighter, Rolison said it was only natural for him to stop and help when he sees or hears someone in need of help.
"I was concerned that no one was responding to the really loud alarm," he said. "Something serious could have come of the situation with the paper and debris on the landing and the smoldering plant right above."
Rolison thanked the other good Samaritans who also called 911, calling it a team effort.
No one was injured, and the home was saved.
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