PORT DEPOSIT, Md. — A popular bar and restaurant in Port Deposit for decades, fire ripped through Jumbo Jimmy’s Crab Shack on Sunday morning gutting it in two hour’s time.
While there were no patrons present, there were three workers who made it out safely after the fire started in the kitchen and ultimately caused $1 million worth of damage.
“Very… Very devastating. Very. This was my life and unfortunately it’s gone now,” said Tenia Steltz who has been a waitress there for the last 18 years, “I have to move on now I guess. Figure out how to do that. It’s hurtful. Very hurtful.”
All toll, 22 full and part-time workers are now out of work and most of them relied on tips for their livelihoods.
RELATED: Community support after 2-alarm fire at Jumbo Jimmy's Crab Shack
“Everybody is devastated right now,” said Jumbo Jimmy’s Manager Sophia Heverin, “We have group chat and they are beside theirselves. We have a couple of job leads. We’re trying to find them employment.”
Help is on the way for Jumbo Jimmy’s employees and their families thanks to the folks here at Our place at the bottom of the hill in nearby Rising Sun.
News of the fire prompted the business to jump into action.
“We were just like ‘We have to do something for the employees,” said Kelly Seidle, “There’s so many with little kids and times are hard anyway. Losing an income you’re not really expecting makes it even harder so we just put our minds together and decided the Angel Tree was the best way to do it.”
With the holidays approaching, they will place the names of the workers’ children on a tree that people can select to purchase gifts for them.
They’ll also have a donations box for those who chose to give monetary gifts to those families.
Editor's Note: The name has now changed from The Bottom of the Hill Bar and Grill to Our place at the bottom of the hill. For more information see below.
