‘I thrive in chaos’: Bonefish Grill manager rescues couple trapped after car crash

HORRY COUNTY, S.C. — The manager of a Bonefish Grill in coastal South Carolina came to the rescue of a couple in distress, pulling them from their car after a three-vehicle crash and before it burst into flames.

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Joe Moreau, who manages the restaurant in Surfside Beach on the Grand Strand, heard the sound of three vehicles colliding on the U.S. 17 bypass on Thursday, WMBF-TV reported.

Moreau ran through a marshy ditch near the restaurant to the highway and discovered a couple trapped inside one of the cars, according to the television station.

“The older gentleman rolled down his window and said, ‘I can’t get the door open, I can’t get the door open,” Moreau told WMBF.

Moreau managed to pry open one of the vehicle’s doors and pulled the couple to safety just as it caught fire, according to the television station. The tires exploded moments later.

Using his managerial skills, Moreau told another person at the scene to fetch a fire extinguisher while he pulled a third person from a different car.

“I thrive in chaos, that’s kitchen work in general, that’s restaurant work in general,” Moreau told WMBF. “You have to keep calm in chaos.”

Horry County Fire Rescue and the Horry County Police Department responded to the scene, and one person was hospitalized, according to the television station.

Moreau deflected praise about being a hero after his effort, mentioning other people who arrived at the scene to offer assistance.

“It always takes a team. I think it’s tough to put that on me,” Moreau, who has worked at Bonefish for approximately two years, told WMBF. “I think it was a group of good Samaritans that helped the community and not just me alone.”

The South Carolina Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.

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