The South Carolina beachfront home of Circuit Judge Diane Goodstein and her husband, former state Sen. Arnold Goodstein, was consumed by fire over the weekend, prompting an investigation. The blaze broke out at Edisto Beach on Saturday, drawing firefighters from several departments. Authorities say three people were hospitalized, with one airlifted to the Medical University of South Carolina and the other two transported by ambulance, CNN reports.
St. Paul's Fire District reported that those inside managed to escape by jumping from an elevated first floor and were ultimately rescued from the backyard by kayak due to the home's remote location. Dramatic footage captured by bystanders and news outlets showed flames tearing through the property as thick smoke billowed skyward. The cause of the fire has not been determined. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division is leading the investigation. SLED chief Mark Keel, the state's top law enforcement officer, said Monday that no evidence has been found so far to indicate the fire was intentionally set, the AP reports.
Goodstein has handled thousands of cases in her 27 years on the court. Her husband, a Democrat, last served in the state Senate in 1979. In her most controversial recent case, Goodstein blocked the state's election commission from releasing voter data requested by the US Department of Justice. The state's Supreme Court lifted her restraining order a week later, the AP reports. On Monday, Keel urged "citizens, elected officials, and members of the press to exercise good judgement and not share information that has not been verified."
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