N.J. cops were looking for a stolen car. They ended up saving a toddler from a burning home.

A stolen car investigation turned into a dramatic rescue when two Summit police detectives saved a toddler from a burning house in Newark’s South Ward, authorities said.

Detective Sgt. Ruddy Garita and Detective Darin Sliker were canvassing South 19th Street around 3 p.m. Aug. 29, searching for a BMW stolen from Summit, when they spotted heavy smoke pouring from the second floor of a home, police said.

A man running from the home told the detectives people were still inside. Moments later, the detectives saw a woman and child screaming for help from a rear window, according to a statement from Summit police.

Garita grabbed a contractor’s ladder from across the street, scaled it, and pulled the toddler through the smoke-filled window to safety, the statement said.

Meanwhile, Sliker and