Myrtle Beach hotel with roof damage did not have business license, officials say

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WPDE) — A Myrtle Beach hotel that was damaged from high winds on Thursday did not have an active business license, according to city spokesperson Mark Kruea.

Crews responded to the Summer Wind Hotel on Ocean Boulevard after the roof collapsed during the afternoon.

Kruea said the building had a permit to do repairs and construction was ongoing.

"There was an active building permit for the property the Summer Winds. Literally, the wind today caught the construction they were attempting to do and knocked it down. At this point, as a result, there will be some people in that building who are going to be relocated," said Kruea.

The City’s Construction Services Department deemed the building uninhabitable following the incident, and officials said 13 people were relocated.

The city is working with New Directions to house those affected. Chief Christian Sliker with Myrtle Beach Fire Dept. said transportation vans are helping take people from the hotel to New Directions.

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"We offered space for anybody there who needed shelter. I understand there were some pets there, and we don’t have the capability of taking in pets. But many of the people who were there did what we call self-resolved. They had somewhere else they were able to go," said Kathy Jenkins, C.E.O. of New Directions.

The damage from the collapse caused portions of Ocean Boulevard to close for a couple of hours.

Additionally, Cpt. Murphy with Myrtle Beach Police Dept. said there is roof damage at the Beverley Beach Hotel on 25th North Avenue due to the wind.

However, according to the Myrtle Beach Fire Dept. there is no risk to occupants and no one was evacuated from the building.

An employee at the Beverley Beach Hotel told ABC15 that their roof sustained a minor leak caused by high winds, and was already being fixed.

Officials said that no injuries were reported from either incident, but a woman working across the street from the Summer Winds said it could have been a lot worse.

“I was in there doing my paperwork and I hear a boom. Then I looked out the window and I seen pieces of the roof flying through, and then I see the roof hanging down. Like four pieces went flying through the air, one piece almost hit a car,” said Trisha Strickland.

ABC15 Chief Meteorologist Ed Piotroski said the wind gusts in the Myrtle Beach area early Thursday afternoon were around 40 m.p.h.