ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. — A shrimp boat explosion in the St. Simons Island area has left a local shrimper without a home and an income.
Just before 4 a.m. Thursday, the U.S. Coast Guard received an emergency call from a crew member on a burning shrimp boat in the St. Simons Island area.
By the time the Coast Guard got to to 58-foot boat, there were four men and one dog in the water clinging to a raft.
Captain John Long said he has owned the boat for the last 16 years. He said he stayed on the boat and spent countless hours shrimping from it.
Long and his three crew members woke up to smoke and tried to put the fire out that was coming from the engine room, but it was too late.
Long said he had no choice but to wait in the water for rescue with the others as his belongings and livelihood burned in front of him.
"It's kind of like part of you. Shrimping is a lifestyle, not a job. It's sad," says Long.
Now, people in the community are rallying around Long and his crew tying to help after they lost everything in only a matter of minutes.
One business owner, Frank Owens, who runs City Market in Brunswick, said that he has known Long for years.
"We're finding him another boat, we're already looking," said Owens.
Owens said Long supplies his market with shrimp daily, and he was shocked when he found out about the early-morning explosion.
"One of the other fisherman called me at 5 a.m. this morning and was telling me about (it), and I just couldn't believe it because he took such good care of it. The boat, it was in tip-top shape," said Owens.
The Coast Guard is investigating what caused the boat to catch fire and explode. Meanwhile, Long said the support he has already received in less than 24 hours is overwhelming.
"Sometimes it takes things, you know, you really don't realize how many people do care about you until there is a crisis, and Frank and all them have been great, a matter of fact, everybody has," said Long.
"I mean everything he owned was on the boat. He lost everything, he's just got him and his dog and his truck," said Owens.
Owens said they are excepting donations, or anything that can help Long and his crew at Market City on Gloucester Street in Brunswick.
Cox Media Group
