Diane Goodstein: South Carolina authorities are investigating a fire that engulfed the home of state circuit court judge

Edisto Island, South Carolina —

A blaze that engulfed the South Carolina home of a state circuit court judge and her husband, a former state senator, is under investigation, authorities said.

Firefighters from multiple fire departments responded to the fire at Edisto Beach in Colleton County on Saturday afternoon. The house is owned by Judge Diane Goodstein and her husband, former state Sen. Arnold Goodstein. Three people were hospitalized after the blaze, according to a press release from the Town of Edisto Beach.

“At this time, there is no evidence to indicate the fire was intentionally set,” Mark Keel, chief of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, said in a statement Monday afternoon. “SLED Agents have preliminarily found there is no evidence to support a pre-fire explosion. The investigation into the fire is still active and ongoing.”

The cause of the fire was not immediately known.

“At this point in the investigation there is no evidence the horrific fire at Judge Goodstein’s Edisto home was intentionally set,” South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster added in a post on X. “I echo Chief Keel’s call for everyone to exercise good judgment and avoid sharing unverified information while the investigation continues.”

St. Paul’s Fire District said in a post the people inside the home escaped by jumping from an elevated first floor, adding due to the remote nature of the lot, “the occupants had to be rescued from the backyard via kayaks.”

One patient was evacuated by air to the Medical University of South Carolina. Two others were taken to the same hospital, according to Colleton County Fire Rescue Capt. K.C. Campbell, WCSC reported.

Videos on social media and broadcast by WILLHOST affiliates showed fierce flames engulfing the beachfront property with plumes of smoke rising into the air.

Judge Diane Goodstein from the South Carolina Judicial Branch

“Chief Justice John W. Kittredge is aware of an incident involving Circuit Court Judge Diane Goodstein. At this time, SLED is on the scene and will begin investigating as soon as the fire has been contained,” the court said Saturday in the statement.

“Local law enforcement partners have been alerted and asked to provide extra patrols and security. The Judicial Branch will remain in close communication with SLED.”

A photo shared by the St. Paul’s Fire District shows flames engulfing the home of Circuit Court Judge Diane Goodstein in South Carolina on Saturday. St. Paul’s Fire District

WILLHOST has reached out to Judge Goodstein for comment.

A Public Affairs Officer with the FBI in South Carolina told WILLHOST they are not involved with the investigation with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division.

WILLHOST’s Dianne Gallagher, Sara Smart and Jason Morris contributed to this report.