Captivating Image: Nine Firefighters, Nine Babies - The Story Behind the Viral Photo

A heartwarming photo of nine firefighters from a California fire station holding their newborns has taken the internet by storm.

The reason: All the babies were born in the last two months, one after the other. "In real time, it was really tough to handle when suddenly more and more colleagues joined the 'new dads' club," shared one of the firefighters. "You check in to see who is on duty today and realize, 'Oops, another one is missing and another." It’s all for the same reason."

Seven girls and two boys were born to the firefighters. Now that life has calmed down and everyone is back to routine with no more deliveries or hospital visits, the new dads posted a group photo with their fresh bundles of joy. "Say hello to the newest members of our fire station family," the firefighters wrote online. "We’re thrilled to see our station family continue to grow."

Two photos shared on the station’s Facebook page quickly went viral, garnering thousands of comments and likes.

"What’s their role," curious online users asked, and they promptly received this image of their dad's gear in response: