Woman Dead After Being Pierced In The Chest By Loose Beach Umbrella In South Carolina

A woman has been reported dead after a loose beach umbrella, that was blown from its anchoring by the wind, gruesomely impaled her in the chest at a Garden City beach in Horry County, South Carolina on Wednesday, Aug. 10.

Tammy Perreault, 63, was reportedly sitting along Garden City beach in South Carolina when a beach umbrella broke loose from its anchor due to heavy winds and struck her upper torso's left side at around 12:40 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 10.

Seeing the accident unfold, off-duty medical professionals and good samaritans on the beach sprung into action and rendered aid to Perreault while waiting for an ambulance to arrive, CBS News reported.

Perreault was later transported to Tidelands Waccamaw Community Hospital for treatment. However, at around 1:31 p.m., nearly an hour after the incident, the victim suffered chest trauma and died at the hospital.

The winds in the region were between 10 and 15 mph on the day of the incident.

Beach umbrellas have spiked ends to help push them into the sand. However, their wide canopy allows them to get caught up in a strong wind and get loose if they are not anchored properly.

“This is a terrible loss, and we know our community is hurting,” Thomas Bell, a spokesperson for Horry County Emergency Management, said. “Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the victim as they navigate through this difficult time.”

Meanwhile, Scotty’s Surfside Bar posted a touching tribute to Perreault on their social media page, New York Post reported.

“Today with heavy hearts we mourn the loss of a dear friend and kind-hearted local, Tammy Perreault,” the post said. “Some things we will never begin to understand but what we do know is no one has a bad thing to say about this woman. To be as sweet as her day in and day out should be a goal for all.”

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, about 3,000 people are injured by beach umbrellas every year.

Six years ago, in 2016, after 55-year-old Lottie Michelle Belk was similarly killed by a windblown beach umbrella in Virginia Beach, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner requested the safety agency to review safety rules for beach umbrellas and start a safety campaign.