‘It just fills my heart’: Community rallies behind Eastern Passage fish market after fire

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When Tammy Victor arrived at Fisherman’s Wharf in Eastern Passage, N.S., first thing on Wednesday to sell some lobster, a crowd was already waiting for her in the frigid outdoors.

Victor co-owns The Lobster Dive, which burned down Monday in what is believed to be an electrical fire.

The building is a loss. But Victor opened the doors for sales on Wednesday in the red building next to the rubble, the location of her business’s original home when it started 25 years ago and for its first 15 years of operation.

“I’d just like to thank the community for everything,” said Victor. “They’ve been awesome and I love the support.”

Since opening Wednesday, there’s been a steady stream of people stopping in. Victor called the support overwhelming.

A man wearing sunglasses stands in front of some lobster crates. — Mark Perry of Dartmouth, N.S., called The Lobster Dive a good and honest business. (Craig Paisley/CBC)

“It just fills my heart,” she said.

Mark Perry from Dartmouth, N.S., was one of the customers.

“For them to experience a devastating loss, especially at this time of year, you feel that a little bit and you’d like to support them if you can,” said Perry, who was picking up lobsters for a family meal.

A man wearing a toque and wearing glasses is shown outside in front of a red building. — Sam Salley of Dartmouth said he was buying lobster to help show the Victors that the community supports them. (Craig Paisley/CBC)

He said supporting local businesses is something that’s become more of a priority for many people he knows.

Sam Salley was also picking up lobster Wednesday. The Dartmouth resident said he went online earlier in the day to see where he could get lobster. When he saw social media posts about the fire, he knew where he would buy the family’s Christmas meal.

Salley said it’s an especially awful time of the year for a fire to happen.

A pile of rubble is shown after a fire burned a building down. — This is what’s left of The Lobster Dive after the Monday fire. (Craig Paisley/CBC)

“Sometimes around the season, it can get you even more down, but [I’m here] just to show her the community supports her and we’re here for her,” he said.

Victor called the decision to open on Wednesday last minute. She hopes to reopen after Christmas on some days and said they would make posts on social media to let people know.

“Day by day, it’s all we can do,” she said.

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