Sinkhole swallows car stopped at traffic light near Coastal Grand Mall in Myrtle Beach

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — A Myrtle Beach driver walked away unhurt Tuesday morning after the roadway gave out beneath his car while he was stopped at a traffic light near the Coastal Grand Mall.

Myrtle Beach city officials said the sinkhole was caused by a broken six-inch water main, but an official with the Public Works Department told News13 later that it was caused by a broken 12-inch water main. The area where the sinkhole formed is near the Horry County Ride III construction site.

Myrtle Beach police responded at about 4:30 a.m. to the intersection of Mall Drive and Harrelson Boulevard and found the front end of the car submerged in a large sinkhole. A Myrtle Beach Public Works employee told News13 that officials received a call between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. about low water pressure in the area.

The water in the area was shut off, and the car was removed from the hole Tuesday morning, officials said. The driver’s father told News13 his son was stopped at the light when the car started to sink. Police said the driver walked away and was not hurt.

The South Carolina Department of Transportation said Tuesday afternoon that the entrance to Mall Drive was closed to allow crews to begin repairing the roadway. The work is expected to be completed on Wednesday.