A group of strangers and a firefighter are being called heroes after saving the lives of twins trapped inside a burning apartment.

Ottawa Fire was called to a high rise at 1465 Cladwell Avenue just after 4:30 p.m. Saturday, but rescue efforts were underway before the fire department even arrived.

Montell Russell was at the building to visit his friend when he heard screams from an apartment several floors below.

"There was a woman shouting 'my babies, my babies," said Russell.

"So I just shut down and started kicking the door, banging the door and just doing anything I could do just to help open this door."

Investigators attribute the fire to a burning pan of oil left unattended. According to fire investigators, the twins' mother stepped outside briefly to empty the trash. In her brief absence, one of her kids had locked and latched the door and couldn't get it open. 

With just sheer will power and a fire extinguisher Russell a neighbor and two friends helped make a hole in the apartment door. Then, one at a time, the rescuers crawled into the apartment and began frantically searching for the toddlers.

"We couldn't find them at first, so we rushed out and trying to get air," he said. "As soon as we got enough air, we went back inside to try and figure out where the kids were."

Karl Raycraft, a building resident, helped in the rescue. He was outside the building when he heard the screams and rushed upstairs.

"I came in and tried to kick the door in, but I couldn't," he said.

"I ran upstairs to get my axe and when I came back one of the kids was already out of the apartment."

By the time the District Chief arrived one child was safe but the other was still trapped. Without oxygen or support, the District Chief entered the apartment and found the other child.

"They did make a difference and we can say that there are two children who are at CHEO and they are expected to be intubated, but they will make a full recovery," said Investigator Rob Kelleher about the good Samaritans.

"In my opinion they were definitely heroes," said Kelleher. "What they did without their training, without air packs, was fantastic."