Firefighters and onlookers risked their lives in Ossining Thursday during a dramatic rescue of residents trapped in a burning apartment building.

Firefighters responded quickly to the call on Spring Street around 3 p.m. The building has three floors of apartments above several small stores. Officials say the fire spread quickly, forcing people on the street to use a fire escape to rescue a woman and baby from the building. Firefighters had to deal with heavy black smoke as they fought the flames and searched for anyone else who might have been trapped inside.

One of the building?s owners had nothing but praise for the fire department?s quick response. In addition to a firefighter who received minor injuries, a total of four residents suffered from smoke inhalation. One of them was taken to Westchester Medical Center. The cause of the fire is under investigation.