The smell coming from S.C. 544 on Tuesday? The car fire might be why

Horry County firefighters responded to a car fire at a gas station on S.C. 544 across from the Monarch 544 Apartments near Conway Tuesday afternoon.

A gray Nissan car could be seen with melted engine components parked next to the pump.

Circle K employee Melanie Berensten said she saw lots of smoke coming out of the car around 2:45 p.m. when a someone from outside ran into the store asking for a fire extinguisher.

She said the driver of the car, which was parked next to a pump, was also in the store at the time.

“It literally just started smoking,” she said. “And then they went running out there.”

She said firefighters responded within minutes of the car fire.

“There was a cop on the scene immediately after,” she said.

The driver of the car declined to comment.

Christian Boschult, 843-626-0218, @TSN_Christian