by Tamsen Fadal
NEW YORK (CBS)-Several children, including a baby, were forced to hang onto a window ledge, in order to escape a fast moving fire in Brooklyn. Firefighters had little time to bring them to safety, but made a dramatic rescue, saving all seven people.
Frantic children were hanging out of an 11th story window trying to get air as the smoke thickened inside their apartment. Firefighters worked to rescue the family, going to the window above and lowered down oxygen masks to the kids so they could breathe.
"I just ran out of the building. I just wanted to see who it was," said Denise Rodriguez. "It's so hurtful because you see all these people everyday."
"The girl was hanging out the window with her babies, all the babies hanging out of the window and me and my neighbor called for the ambulance, for the fire department to come," added Denise Davis.
Seven people were inside the apartment when the fire broke out - a mother, father and several children, including a baby. The fire chief said one of the children rescued is autistic.
"We know the members of this job are trained and do this everyday and were able to get everyone out safely," FDNY Fire Chief Joe Woznica told CBS 2 HD.
A puppy was also saved from the fire. Andre Nash says he ran into help initially but could only get to the father and one of the children.
"I was crawling along the wall to get the mother, baby and boyfriend but once I got to the door because it slammed with so much pressure and heat, I wasn't able to," said Nash.
After being saved, the mother of the children was rushed to the hospital in cardiac arrest. Doctors say she is expected to be okay.
According to the fire chief the fire started in one of the bedrooms, the cause has not been determined.
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