Hurricane winds whip Myrtle Beach condo fire
Hurricane Matthew is blamed for spreading a devastating fire. Winds whipping at hurricane strength pushed flames through a Cherry Grove condominium complex faster than firefighters could keep up.
Posted — UpdatedFive buildings burned as embers floated from one to another, but no one was injured.
"We were pretty scared," neighbor Kelly Cheney said. "I am just glad we left."
According to emergency officials, 90 percent of residents in that area followed orders to evacuate.
Elsewhere in Horry County, it was the wind that did the damage, snapping trees and tossing branches.
A path of destruction leads to The Surf Golf and Beach Club in North Myrtle Beach, where neighbors believe a tornado touched down.
"That was just a tornado came down off the ocean," Mike Maxwell said. "It is part of living at the beach, but we haven’t seen anything like this in many, many years."
More than 160 roads in Horry County remained closed into Sunday evening, and water along the Intracoastal Waterway was expected to rise again with the tide.
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