The apartment is managed by the Sansone Group. Managers on scene declined to comment.

Firefighters were called to the scene after passersby saw smoke, officials said.

Neighbor Mary McNary, 42, said her 17-year-old daughter had just taken their dog outside and noticed the boxer mix kept staring at the building next door. When McNary's daughter looked up, she saw fire breaking through the second story windows. They called 911 and then watched firefighters carry a baby and a toddler, arms and legs dangling, out of the building.

“It brought tears to all our eyes just to see them come out like that," McNary said.

Soon thereafter, a woman and a man, whom McNary said were the parents of at least some of the children, came running from the alley toward the home.

By 1:20 p.m., firefighters had the blaze under control; neither flames nor smoke were visible. By 2 p.m. firefighters were shoveling wet insulation out of broken windows, walls charred black behind them, roof rafters exposed.

Inside the unit, a double stroller sat in the kitchen, boxes of cereal on top of the refrigerator and baby photos on the wall.