- Video shows the damage left behind from the fire at Rowleys Bay Resort
- Owner Jewel Ouradnik says the community has been extremely supportive during this hard time
- They hope the resort can be functional as soon as this spring
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
24 hours after a fire destroyed much of a local resort, you can see what's left. I'm your Door County Neighborhood reporter Katlyn Holt and the owner of Rowleys Bay Resort is talking to me about what she's planning to do next.
"I grew up here all our kids grew up here. So, for me, it's very sentimental. We've been here for 53 years, and we're gonna bring her back," said Ouradnik.
Rowleys Bay Resort owner Jewel (Peterson) Ouradnik didn't want to go on camera, but she did talk to me. She says the last 24 hours have been tough for her.
But, she says the most important part is that everyone made it out safely.
"The fire department and the assisting fire departments that came from far and wide, did an amazing job and they actually saved about half of the building which was a huge save," said Ouradnik.
Jewel Ouradnik says right now, the primary focus is getting her staff somewhere safe to live. She tells me a lot of the staff lived in the building. I also talked to one of those employees who said the fire happened fast.
"I looked at the building once it was smoking, I looked at the building again it was up in flames just completely engulfed in it," said Kolodzinski.
Austin Kolodzinski says he didn't think twice before trying to help others.
"I ran inside to make sure that there was nobody in the immediate area and then I just kind of grabbed what i could off the desk and we were basically just calling for help…Waiting for it," said Kolodzinski.
Currently they are all working out of a small building on the property, to contact guests who need refunds or who may want to reschedule.
For now, Ouradnik wants to thank the community for their overwhelming support.
"It's just really been I love you all over the place and you don't realize until you go through something like this, how much your community really means to you and so we're really grateful," said Ouradnik.
Jewel Ouradnik told me that she hopes Rowleys Bay Resort will be up and running again as early as this spring if all goes well.
