‘I just ran to the car’: 20-year-old recounts saving woman from burning car in Myrtle Beach

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WMBF) - A 20-year-old from Myrtle Beach is being hailed as a hero after rescuing an elderly woman from her burning car.

The City of Myrtle Beach posted about the heroic rescue that took place when a car crashed, hit a gas line and set a car and building on fire near the intersection of Farrow Parkway and Fred Nash Boulevard, near The Market Common.

Myrtle Beach police MCpl. Tom Vest explained that the driver crashed into the roundabout by not yielding on a left turn, and due to medical issues with her eyes, she continued and hit the gas line.

After that, the woman veered off the road and hit a building.

Nicholas Conklin said he was about to go in for his night shift at a produce company when he said he heard a loud noise that he compared to a bomb.

Conklin said he saw the car and the OrthoSC building on fire and immediately got out of his car.

“My coworker was like, ‘Call 911,’” said Conklin. “But once I saw the car there, I said you call 911 because someone else was screaming that someone was in the car, so I just ran to the car and tried to get them out.”

Conklin said the woman held out her arm so he was able to grab her and pull her to safety.

The Myrtle Beach Fire Department arrived to keep the fire at bay until the gas line could be shut off.

Myrtle Beach police Cpl. Matt Deane spoke with the Conklin at the scene.

“I told him he should be proud. He saved that woman’s life,” Deane said.

She was treated for injuries and released. She was cited for failure to yield right-of-way on a left turn.

No other serious injuries were reported.

When asked about how he felt about being hailed a hero, Conklin said he doesn’t think he will ever feel like a hero, and that he would do it again if anyone needed his help.

“A lot of people aren’t willing to risk there lives for someone else, but it just felt like I was doing the right thing,” said Conklin.

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