NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — A Clover man was severely burned last week when his fishing boat exploded at Myrtle Beach.
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Kevin Strong spoke with our news partners at WPDE from his hospital bed at the University of North Carolina Jaycee Burn Center in Chapel Hill.
Strong said he was cleaning his boat in preparation for the annual Jolly Mann fishing tournament when it exploded, leaving him with second-degree burns.
"I reached over to grab some bait," he said. "When I grabbed the bait, it just went 'phoom.'"
Officials said Strong was in critical condition when he was flown to the burn unit.
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"He had a very large burn," Dr. Felicia Williams, ICU medical director at the burn unit, said. "He was in a breathing machine, so he was critical when he came in."
Strong said he's now on his way to a speedy recovery and believes it's all because of the quick actions of the paramedics who saved his life.
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"Thank you for getting me there as quick as they could," he said. "They did everything they could to help me and I really appreciate it."
As for fishing, Strong said he hopes to get back on the water in as quickly as two weeks.