Two of three officers who were first to arrive at Sunday's casino boat fire say they've never responded to anything quite like it.

"All you saw was billowing smoke," said Det. Angel Russo, who's been a member of the Port Richey Police Department for eight years.

"It was very chaotic," said Officer Zane Zabetka, who marks one year with the department in March.

Russo and Zabetka said they, along with Officer Jason Zimmerman, thought the initial report of a boat fire would be a routine call. Then they heard it was the casino boat shuttle that was in flames.

"So, at this time, your adrenaline starts going. We start hurrying up to get out there," Zabetka said.

When they arrived, the boat was fully engulfed in flames, and passengers were in the water.

"It was just reaction. We didn't even really discuss it. All three of us took off our gear and jumped in," Russo said.

What they jumped into was water that Zabetka estimates was about 59 degrees.

"Your adrenaline was flowing, so you really couldn't feel the water temperature when you got in. But after we had been out probably for half an hour or so, you could definitely feel how cold the water was," he said.

Some of the challenges they faced included walking through the muck beneath the water's surface and making sure everyone had gotten off the boat and was accounted for.

"The people, obviously, were in shock," Russo said. "They were cold. Some of them just weren't very responsive. The water was not deep. The problem was that there was muck in that water, which you just sank in."

Both officers also applauded the efforts of the people who live in the neighborhood near the wreckage.

"We aren't equipped to care for 50 people out of our patrol cars. It was fantastic to see the community come together and provide shelter for those people in their garages and homes and start bringing them dry clothes," Zabetka said.

Russo and Zabetka also noted there were a number of personnel from multiple agencies who responded and worked to make sure passengers were safe and got the treatment they needed.

Port Richey Police Chief Gerard DeCanio said he's proud of his officers' work.

"Those guys are heroes," he said. "That's what we do. You know what you could have to do when you take this job, but they didn't hesitate. They dropped their gear and ran into the water."

One passenger, 42-year-old Carrie Dempsey, died at a hospital.

"Our thoughts and prayers are absolutely with the woman that had passed and her family, but it could've been a different turnout," said Russo, referring to the fear both officers said they had when first seeing the fire: the fear they could possibly have multiple serious injuries or fatalities.