South Carolina Judge Diane Goodstein and Former State Senator Arnold Goostein’s beachfront home in Edisto Island was burned to the ground on Saturday, sending three family members to the hospital.
The four-bedroom, four-bathroom home is estimated to be worth $1,155,200.
Police are currently investigating the cause of the fire. According to FITS News, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division Chief Mark Keel suggested that they are looking into possible arson.
South Carolina Chief Justice John Kittridge said, “We do not know whether the fire was accidental or arson.
Until that determination is made, Chief Keel has alerted local law enforcement to provide extra patrols and security.”
Goodstein was first elected by the South Carolina General Assembly as a Resident Circuit Judge in 1998, according to her biography.
Husband Arnold Goodstein, who was transported to the hospital with broken bones in his hips, legs, and feet after leaping from the burning home, previously served as a Democratic South Carolina State Senator and State Representative.
Video from the fire shows the entire house engulfed in flames, leaving just a pile of ash.
Watch below via WCBD News 2:
St. Paul’s Fire District said in a social media post that emergency crews accessed the scene using kayaks to rescue occupants, who jumped from an elevated area to escape:
The SPFD received reports of a structure with entrapment on Edisto Island from our automatic aid partners, Edisto Beach Fire Department. Engine 1403 and Tender 1403 along with Battalion 1407 were first due followed by Edisto Beach Engine 14 and Ladder 14.
Due to our strong working relationship with the EBFD, crews went right to work extinguishing the fire and looking for occupants. This area is located on a barrier island with significant challenges such as limited water supply and tight areas.
The first arriving crews worked flawlessly together to ensure the safety of the occupants which escaped via jumping from and elevated first floor. Due to the remoteness and layout of the lot, the occupants had to be rescued from the backyard via kayaks and brought to Colleton County EMS where they received medical aid.
SPFD Engine 1407 caught a draft from a nearby pond to secure water supply. Additional units from the SPFD responded for manpower as well to include Engine 1408, Rescue 1401, Tenders 1401, 1402, 1405 and 1407 along with Battalion 1401. Due to the large impact of this incident, most of our units had to relocate to ensure the SPFD residents still had adequate protection during this time.
The Charleston Fire Dept. was requested to help backfill some of our stations to ensure we remained fully covered during this incident.
This incident showed that your SPFD and its surrounding partners are willing, able, and competent, to handle any type of call for service due to the commitments we have along with the strong working relationships we have built to respond appropriately.
Your SPFD prides itself on producing adequate water supply in remote areas and delivery the best possible service to all of its citizens and surrounding neighborhoods. Strong work by all.
This is a developing story.