The morning of May 19, Robbie Pinkham of Five Islands woke up to a fisherman's nightmare. In his front yard was a blazing fire, consuming 700 lobster traps, buoys, tags, ropes, a boat engine, and all his equipment that he uses for his livelihood as a lobsterman, he said.

“We were sleeping, me and my girlfriend; I hear an explosion and looked at the window to see an orange glow. I thought it was my neighbor's house on fire,” Pinkham said.

When he got outside, he realized it wasn't his neighbor's house, but his storage shed and gear.

“My girlfriend's car was like five feet from the fire, I jumped in and moved it,” Pinkham said. “She just got that car a couple of months ago and it had already singed the mirror off. My neighbor's 80-something years old and thank goodness the wind was blowing the opposite way or his house would have gone up too.”

The fire was no an accident, but was arson, according to the Maine State Fire Marshal's office. Arson means the fire was intentionally set, and the Fire Marshal's Office is currently investigating the incident.

“All my components for lobstering and fishing are gone. Tuna fishing gear, hauling pumps, everything in my big shed. Air compressors and tools. Absolutely everything,” Pinkham said

Pinkham's mother, Tammy Serrano, has started a GoFundMe page to help her son.

“We are reaching out to those who are willing to help him recover from this devastating fire,” Serrano said. “He is a very hard working young man and needs your support.”

As of Friday morning, $1,295 towards $30,000 has been donated. Visit www.gofundme.com/v5np4c3s?fb_action_ids=10204659039215402&fb_action_types=og.shares&fb_ref=undefined to donate.

Donations are also being accepted at First Federal Savings on Front Street in Bath, where there is an account set up for Pinkham.

Local fishermen and lobstermen are also helping out, donating older traps to Pinkham and trying to help him rebuild.

“I've been doing this since I was about 10, did it with my grandfather as a kid,” Pinkham said. “I have a little brother who's already hauling traps off the dock and coiling rope. It's part of our family and I’m not going to let this ruin it for me. The support really makes it better because I lost everything. Luckily the boat wasn't there or I would have lost that too.”

Anyone with knowledge of this fire is asked to call the Office of the State Fire Marshal at 207-626-3870.