NEW PORT RICHEY, FLA. — The Pasco County community is raising donations to help a family who lost everything in a house fire.
The fire happened at a home on Weasel Drive in New Port Richey last month. Firefighters said the cause of the fire was electrical.
The fire started in the wall behind the stove.
Sarah Gray pulled into her neighborhood and saw flames coming from her home.
"I ran into the garage, opened the door and I just saw my whole house engulfed. I kept trying to go back in to get my babies, but there was nothing I could do," said Sarah Gray.
Gray said her husband and two children were not at home when the fire started. The family had eight dogs, but only two survived. The family also lost hamsters and a few reptiles.
"I didn't see the dogs. I hollered for them, none of them were coming out, but then eventually two of them actually came out that is all that ended up surviving out of all the pets that we had," said Gray.
Friends started a GoFundMe page for the family. Marjorie's Hope, a nonprofit in Pasco County, gave the family clothes. The nonprofit is also accepting checks or gift cards for the family.
Donations may be mailed to:
Marjorie's Hope
C/O House Fire
3941 Pensdale Drive, New Port Richey, FL 34652
The family said the support from the community is overwhelming.
"Words do not express the outpouring of complete strangers that we never met, never talked to a day in our lives. We have no idea who they are, but they are just stepping up," said Gray.
