Myrtle Beach fire crews responded Thursday to a roof collapse at the Summer Wind Motel on Ocean Boulevard along with a separate report of roof damage blocks away.
MBFD reports a collapsed roof at the Summer Wind Oceanfront Motel, located off 19th Avenue South. The Myrtle Beach Fire Department said the South Ocean Boulevard motel incident closed the area from 18th Avenue South to 20th Avenue South to both car and pedestrian traffic.
As of 2:30 p.m., roads have re-opened in the area.
Myrtle Beach Fire Chief Christian Sliker told area news that his agency responded to reported damage to the roof of a building at around 10:30 a.m. and said both staff and guests got out safely.
The people found at Summer Wind Inn & Suites were sent to a Myrtle Beach homeless shelter called New Directions and secured housing there, Sliker said.
Capt. Bryan Murphy with the Myrtle Beach Police Department later added that the building was “unfit for human habitation,” meaning it was unlawful for anyone to be on the property. It’s unclear when the building was classified in that manner.
The motel did not have an active business permit when the roof collapsed and it’s unknown if people in the building were guests or employees.
The city is working to relocate anyone displaced.
The MBFD also said it responded to a separate incident involving more roof damage
The Beverly, 2502 N. Ocean Blvd, also suffered roof damage around the same time said Myrtle Beach Spokesperson Mark Kruea.
That area is also closed off to pedestrian traffic as of 2 p.m.