Woman missing after New Port Richey house fire

NEW PORT RICHEY (FOX 13) - A Pasco County woman is still missing after a fire destroyed her home in New Port Richey.

A friend of the woman’s family, Daniel Datema says he and the woman’s husband, Bruce Hansen were only gone a few minutes before noticing the flames and smoke filling the sky near US-19 and Gulf Drive.

"I'm like, 'Bruce that's too close to be your house. Don't worry.' He said, 'No, it's my house.' So we jumped in the van, got here, and it was engulfed in flames,” said Datema. "It was engulfed, totally engulfed with flames. The upstairs was already gone."

Datema says fire trucks were already lining the street, but the concern wasn't just the house. It was Bruce's wife, Sheree.

He told FOX 13 she was trapped inside.

“It was blowing up. It was so intense and so hot. It was a very bad scene,” he said.

Pasco County fire officials say the fire likely fed off the home’s wood frame and other items inside. Officials said the second story of the home collapsed, making the search for Sheree even more difficult.

“We have all of them working right now to work through that rubble and try to see if we can find anybody in that house,” said Pasco county fire chief Shawn Whited.

The missing woman's step-son Eric says his father is in disbelief.

“We're hanging in there trying to hold it together,” said Hansen.

Officials are awaiting K-9’s to help in the search. The exact cause of the fire is still under investigation.