Crews battled a three-alarm fire Monday afternoon at the Minor Ridge Apartments in south Kansas City.
NewsChopper 9's Johnny Rowlands reported that the fire destroyed a section of one apartment building near 118th Terrace and Holmes Road.
Witnesses said fire and smoke was seen rolling out of the building at about 4:15 p.m.
One of the witnesses, John Black, helped rescue a baby that was dropped from a balcony.
Black said there were several explosions at the apartment, and that he ran to the building to help families.
"I was just trying to get them saved, trying to save the kids," Black told KMBC's Dan Weinbaum.
"These two gentleman were on the ground, and we literally just dropped the babies to them," said Connie Strauss, a grandmother who was in town visiting her daughter and grandchildren.
"If they hadn't been there, we probably would have broken every bone and I don't know what would have happened to the babies," Strauss said.
She said her family and other apartment residents jumped off balconies to escape the fire.
No serious injuries were reported.
Crews said six apartments were declared unlivable. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
E-Mail: Contact Dan Weinbaum
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