An estimated 3,800 commercial crab fishing pots, valued at around $2 million, were lost in the fire. Among Monday's poignant scenes were frantic efforts by firefighters and volunteers to save some pots by pushing them off the dock into the water. In addition, a hundred or more pots stacked on the neighboring Port of Ilwaco-owned quay survived, pictured.

ILWACO — The percussion of exploding forklift tanks, popping tires and the wounded squawk of a worker’s dying car horn accompanied the monstrous growl of boiling flames as dozens of families witnessed the death of their livelihoods.

Monday’s fiery destruction of Bornstein Seafoods’ Ilwaco receiving facility not only meant loss of corporate assets, it came at the worst possible time for many of south Pacific County’s proud fleet of independent commercial crabbers. Their pre-staged crab pots — estimated at as many as 3,800 valued at close to $2 million — were reduced to piles of hot wire and black ash a week before they would have been set in the water.

A season in ruin

At least 10 vessels had pots stacked at Bornstein’s, Ilwaco Port Commission Chair Butch Smith said regarding the devastating disaster.

“We lost hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of crab gear, we will miss our most lucrative fishing season, we’re broke and were counting on this season to pay our bills,” Alisha Vitkoczy said on social media Monday. She and husband Ryan own the fishing vessel Brandy. “Some of the guys that lost their gear are sick, some are the only one who works in their household, some are late on their house payments, most have kids. We all started in this industry with jack shit and saved everything to get here. It’s a devastating loss. [I don’t know] what else there is to say.”

Among Monday’s poignant scenes were frantic efforts by firefighters and volunteers to save some pots by pushing them off the dock into the water. In a small grace note, a hundred or more pots stacked on the neighboring Port of Ilwaco-owned quay survived.

Pull Quote

‘Thank you to the brave firefighters and first responders

on the scene at the Port of Ilwaco. This is devastating news for the

entire community and I am continuing to monitor the situation closely.’

U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell

Even if some manage to acquire replacement pots to start the two-month-delayed crab harvest, there are questions about whether all-important numbered plastic license tags can be quickly resupplied by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

“We are currently working on determining the amount of gear that was lost and finding replacement tags that can be issued to the affected vessels. We will do whatever we can to help the fisherman who lost gear so they are ready for setting gear on Monday,” Jamie Fuller, WDFW’s Region 6 Coastal shellfish commercial data coordinator, said Tuesday.

Destruction of the Bornstein buildings, currently assessed at $615,000 and not counting equipment and other contents, represents the end of more than 125 years of seafood processing at the site first established in the late 19th century by pioneer salmon man B. Aksel Seaborg, and in the 20th century by the Columbia River Packers Association. In the 21st century, it was most commonly known as Ilwaco Landing.

It’s unclear Tuesday what losses may be covered by insurance or whether it will be possible to rebuild.

The cause of the fire, which broke out just after 11 a.m., is also unknown at this time, though an electrical fault was seen as likely Monday during the course of suppression efforts.

Bornstein had not responded by press time Tuesday to an inquiry from the Chinook Observer. However, company CEO Colin Bornstein told industry publication IntraFish that no employees were injured. He said the firm “was saddened at the loss of buildings, dock and crab gear a week before the Dungeness season is slated to start.”

Sadness, offers of help

In the disaster’s immediate aftermath, the close-knit Northwest fishing network overflowed with condolences, offers of help and ideas. Locally, Claire Bruncke, executive director of the Dylan Jude Harrell Community Center, urged families who need support to reach out to the organization for assistance. The easiest way, she said, was to call or text DJHCC’s family resources director, Robyn Handley, at 360-207-0158 or email her at robyn@djhcc.org. Additional information can be found at www.djhcc.org/familyresources.

Beyond the owners of facilities, gear and permits, loss of one of the county’s handful of remaining industrial seafood-processing facilities is a tsunami of bad news for dozens of crew members, whose families rely on the brief but usually lucrative crab season for a major infusion of winter income. Mortgages, vehicle payments and even food on tables are all at risk.

Port Chairman Smith said he reached out to U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell and U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez Monday afternoon to see if there are ways in which federal help can be expedited.

Smith also noted, “It’s a huge loss to the port.” Pounds of seafood landed there are counted toward the port’s case for dredging by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He hopes Bornstein can find a way to rebuild, but acknowledged above-water construction is challenging.

In a statement Monday, Cantwell thanked “the brave firefighters and first responders on the scene at the Port of Ilwaco.”

“This is devastating news for the entire community and I am continuing to monitor the situation closely,” she said. “The waterfront is the heart of Ilwaco and the local economy. My prayers are with the entire community, including the cannery workers and fishing families who rely on the docks for their livelihoods.”

In a statement shared on her social media accounts, Perez thanked the first responders for “courageously responding” to the fire and said her heart was with those being treated and the crabbers who suffered damages.

“I’ll continue following this situation to see how my team can best support the community as we recover and rebuild,” Perez said. Those affected by the fire are encouraged to reach out to Perez’s office at 360-695-6292.

Port’s role

Tracy Lofstrom, the port’s manager, told the Observer that she feels awful for Bornstein, their workers and the crabbers that work with the company who will be affected by the fire — especially with the commercial crabbing season being just days away from kicking off.

“I don’t know how they’re going to have crab pots ready to go,” Lofstrom said.

Lofstrom said the port was asked if their raft could be drafted into service to try and help put out the fire, which the port quickly agreed to, but it ultimately did not end up being utilized as the fire rapidly grew out of control.

While the landing is technically not part of the port, it is part of the marina and Lofstrom said Bornstein has been a good processor who works with what she estimates to be a sizable number of local crabbers. She said the port will do what it can to help the company, their workers and crabbers recover.

City support

Ilwaco Councilor Matt Lessnau, a volunteer firefighter for the city’s fire department who was not involved with the response to the incident, said his heart went out to the families of those affected by the “catastrophic” fire. He thanked those who responded and noted that firefighters responded from Long Beach, Chinook and several fire districts within the county from the peninsula up to Naselle and South Bend.

“We’re actively looking for resources to help all those involved,” Lessnau said. “It’s an absolute tragedy with five, seven days before they were set to set pots. The timing’s really something else.”

Ilwaco Mayor Mike Cassinelli called the fire “a real tragedy” and said he was sorry for everyone who is being affected. He said the biggest loss is all of the crab pots that succumbed to the flames.

Ilwaco Councilor Jonathan Quittner shared his appreciation for the firefighters and emergency service personnel who responded to the incident, and gave his “love and support” for everyone who is being affected by the fire.