WILLIAMSBURG, Ky. — Surprising flash flooding led to a dramatic rescue of babies from a home where residents were unaware of rapidly rising water until their neighbor knocked on their door.

Authorities responded to flooding on Freeman Hollow Road in Williamsburg after 911 dispatch received a call reporting over three feet of water in one of the homes — trapping 10 individuals.

According to Larry Todd, Chief of Williamsburg Fire and Rescue, the quick water rise in the creek was due to a collapsed pipe that had helped the small creek rise quickly into the residential area.

According to Hal Klingenburg, National Weather Service (NWS) meteorologist at Jackson, and the NWS radar data, around five inches of rain fell within a few hours.

NWS had issued a Flash Flood Warning at 12:08 a.m. Sunday morning — which was then extended to 4:11 a.m.

The local first responders were able to rescue all trapped individuals with no injuries out of the home on Freeman Hollow Road using boats as the only way to access the victims.

The ages of the victims ranged from one to 62, and all were related or close friends.

Tonya Milwee, a victim of the flooding, said if her neighbor hadn’t banged on the family’s door, they would have slept through it and likely the one, two and four-year-old could have easily drowned due to the small children not knowing how to swim.

“When they came with boats to rescue us, I just told them take the babies out of here; please first get them out of here,” Milwee said. “They are four, two and one in addition to older children in the house.”

Milwee said she would have never thought twice to check on her family during the rain while they were sleeping, if it wasn’t for neighbor knocking on the door.

“It was so scary,” Milwee said.

The victims stayed at the Fire Hall at Williamsburg Fire and Rescue until hotel accommodations were made for the victims of the flooding.

“That morning, I was holding my four-year-old grandchild in my arms at the fire station in the recliner. It all hit me how badly this could have been. My grandchildren could have drowned,” Milwee said.

Red Cross is helping those affected by the rapid flooding with their services.

According to Milwee, the residents in the area did not receive the alert for the flooding on their phones.

Milwee said she knows of three homes completely destroyed and is concerned on what the family will do next.

“They have four days at the motel paid for, but that is not enough time to get our homes back together for these young children,” Milwee said. “It is a mess.”