<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Two children are missing after a house fire north-west of Sydney, which saw the roof of a two-storey house collapse.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Five people were able to escape from the home on Lieutenant Bowen Road in Bowen Mountain, which is believed to have broken out at around 2am.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The blaze was so fierce that it caused the roof of the home to cave in, forcing firefighters to temporarily retreat and take defensive action.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>LIVE UPDATES:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-shooting-live-updates-us-politics-iran-middle-east-king-charles-visit/bbf43b65-1d7e-494d-bdea-e4145d42ab29" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>'I don't expect forgiveness': Details of shooter's letter revealed</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It is not known how old the children are, but authorities have confirmed an urgent search is underway this morning.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioner Trent Curtin said it was a "very difficult" task for firefighters, with 12 trucks and around 50 people responding to the blaze, but said they had no choice but to initially take defensive action.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/bowen-mountain-house-fire-sydney/8fab652e-c854-48e6-8bf8-952bbc5116ff" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/two-boys-ride-on-roof-of-sydney-bus/5849a15e-c122-4962-9152-37651754c909" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Teenagers who rode on bus roof sought by police</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Firefighters want to get in there with their hoselines and getting in and locating people who might be missing, but an early assessment of the building recognised that parts of the walls were looking to collapse, and parts of the structure had collapsed," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It would have been too dangerous to go inside the home while it was collapsing."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It took around two hours for the blaze to be contained, with Curtin confirming firefighters were now able to gain access to some parts of the house.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Some parts of the home are hot and smouldering, and many parts of the home have collapsed," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Firefighters are moving into the home with hoselines, where they can search for the unaccounted people in the home. "</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Curtin praised the actions of responding crews to ensure the fierce fire didn't spread to other homes, and he said all firefighters would be offered support.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"[It's] very tough for our firefighters... all of those firefighters are impacted by the circumstances," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Investigations have commenced into how the fire started.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><strong><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></strong></em><span> </span><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><p><em><strong><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727"><em><strong><span>Apple</span></strong></em></a><span> </span><em><strong><span>and</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1"><em><strong><span>Google Play</span></strong></em></a></p></li><li><p><em><strong><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w"><em><strong><span>ticking this box here</span></strong></em></a></p></li></ul></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><em><strong><span>Sign up to</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" rel="" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></strong></em></a></li></ul></div></div>