Maryland family determined to rebuild crabbing business after fire: "It's not a job, it's a lifestyle"
A family-owned crabbing business in Pasadena is trying to rebuild after a fire destroyed its boat last week, leaving the family facing nearly $25,000 in losses.
What started as a sunny Wednesday morning quickly turned into a nightmare. Dramatic video shows flames engulfing the boat as it sat docked along Stoney Creek.
The boat belonged to Scott Kolodziejski, who founded Family's Crustacean Station 10 years ago.
"I am so sick right now, dude. Oh, Jesus, my boat is on fire," Kolodziejski said in the video. "And there's nothing I can do to stop it…Oh my God."
How the fire started
Kolodziejski was aboard the boat last Wednesday morning when he turned on a space heater to warm up the hydraulic system. He then topped off the gas tank, something he said he does most mornings.
He believes fumes from the gas ignited when they reached the heater's pilot light, setting the boat ablaze.
"The gas fumes must have made it to the pilot and just shot through my legs straight to the gas tank," Kolodziejski told WJZ's Tara Lynch.
Kolodziejski also caught fire but escaped without injuries. The jeans he was wearing show just how close he came to being seriously hurt.
He said he quickly patted out the flames on himself before trying to fight the fire on the boat with extinguishers and water.
"It got to the point to where I was just starting to feel the heat. It hadn't gotten to my skin yet, but I was able to get it out," Kolodziejski explained. "It really doesn't do it justice, but it was a very scary situation."
As the flames continued to spread, Kolodziejski called 911. By the time firefighters arrived, the fire was too intense to extinguish.
"I'm watching my whole life go up in flames right now," he said in another video.
The Anne Arundel County Fire Department, Maryland Natural Resources Police and the U.S. Coast Guard responded. Firefighters pumped enough water onto the boat to sink it, ultimately putting out the flames.
The boat is now a total loss. Kolodziejski said he did not have insurance, leaving him with nearly $25,000 in losses.
"I mean, she's burned. It's definitely not salvageable," he said. "It hasn't hit me yet. Like, I still, I'm waiting for somebody to pinch me, and I wake up."
Family faces uncertain future
For his family, the loss goes far beyond the boat.
Candice Knight said her husband called her at work to tell her about the fire. She was devastated, knowing the business is the family's primary source of income and helps support their four children.
"We've worked so hard to build this business to what it is, and it was just an absolute nightmare," Knight said.
Community members have since stepped in to help, donating to an online fundraiser.
The family says it is grateful for the support as it tries to figure out its next steps.
"It's not a job, it's a lifestyle"
Kolodziejski, who grew up on the water, said he's always had a passion for crabbing. He started the business with just a kayak and gradually built it into what it is today.
"I started this business on a kayak with four crab traps on a sand bar with two poles with a string tied behind them and worked all the way up to where we are now," Kolodziejski said.
Now, the family is determined to get back on the water as soon as possible.
"I'll go out and get a kayak again if I have to," Kolodziejski said. "It's not a job, it's a lifestyle. I don't know where we go from here. God's got a plan. That's all I know."