Apartment Fire Forces Residents To Drop Babies From Burning Building

More than 45 firefighters battled an apartment fire shortly before dawn Wednesday near Atlanta that injured about 12 people. DeKalb County Fire Rescue Capt. Eric Jackson told CBS affiliate WGCL-TV that four adults and eight children were injured.

Jackson said their injuries were minor and mostly related to smoke inhalation.

Jackson told reporters that the victims' ages ranged from 1 month to approximately 36. He said that people dropped babies into firefighters' arms when they arrived on the scene.

"We were catching babies like a football - literally," Jackson said. "There were adults that were on the balcony that were dropping their babies right into our arms. We had a couple firefighters catching babies, so it was just really incredible."

Jackson told WSB-TV that firefighters kicked in doors and ushered out residents.

He said the fire grew after firefighters arrived. The cause wasn't immediately known.

Jackson told WGCL-TV that the fire wasn't expected to threaten other buildings.

The building, which includes about 20 units, is just northeast of Atlanta.