‘There were flames billowing’: Fire damages Myrtle Beach Ocean Boulevard hotel

Fire damaged an Ocean Boulevard hotel on Wednesday night.

Myrtle Beach Fire crews went to the Holiday Sands Hotel, 2411 S. Ocean Blvd., for the reported fire around 8 p.m., according to the department.

John Farley lives a couple of stories—and directly below—the condo that caught fire. He said the building is owner-occupied condos and the fire was on the 12th floor.

“I see the flames coming out and I say, ‘Oh ****,’” Farley said. “There were flames billowing.”

Farley said burning debris fell off the porch, nearly hitting him. He ran into his unit and packed a bag of belongings to leave. Fire crews were coming into the building as he exited.

About 20 minutes after the fire was reported, department officials said it was under control.

Myrtle Beach fire Capt. Jonathan Evans said the fire started on a balcony. Sprinklers in the hotel helped stop the spread to other units, Evans said. Most of the damage was kept to the one unit, though there might be smoke damage in the other areas.

Nobody inside the unit was hurt, but one person nearby needed to be treated on scene by EMS, Evans said.

A large crowd gathered on Ocean Boulevard to watch the scene unfold. Myrtle Beach fire and police blocked Ocean Boulevard near 25th Avenue South as they fought the blaze.

The department asks the public to avoid the area for their safety and the safety of the firefighters.

This story was originally published September 23, 2020 at 8:09 PM.