BRONX, N.Y. - It's not clear what started a fire in the Bronx that sent eight people to the hospital for smoke inhalation.

Five of them were children.

The fire started just before 2 p.m. Wednesday in a seventh floor apartment at the Butler Houses in Claremont.

Family members we spoke with say two women share the unit with their young children. 

They claim the fire started in a bedroom.

"There was a lot of smoke coming out the windows. And they was in the window, like help, help, help," said one witness.

"I heard people screaming and the ambulance came, and the FD came, and they rushed inside to the fifth floor and they started busting out windows, and bringing out kids," said another witness.

The children are all expected to be okay.