Fire Engulfs Home of South Carolina Judge and Ex-Senator

A fire severely damaged the waterfront residence of a prominent South Carolina judge and her former senator husband on Saturday, resulting in three people being hospitalized.

The home of Circuit Court Judge Diana Goodstein on Edisto Beach caught fire around midday. Thick smoke billowed into the sky as her husband, former state Senator Arnold Goodstein, had to jump from the first floor to escape the flames, according to reports.

House belonging to South Carolina Judge and ex-senator Diane Goodstein ablaze with large flames and dark smoke billowing into the sky. — Circuit Court Judge Diana Goodstein’s Edisto Beach home was consumed by fire midday, prompting her husband, Arnold Goodstein, to leap from the first floor to escape. St. Paul’s Fire District

Neighbors and emergency personnel rescued Arnold and two others from a marsh behind the three-story residence using kayaks, according to local authorities.

One victim was airlifted to a nearby hospital, while the other two were transported via ground ambulance to the Medical University of South Carolina. The exact condition of those involved remains unknown.

South Carolina Judge Diane Goodstein in a formal portrait. — Diana Goodstein, 69, was out walking her dogs on a beach when her home was engulfed in flames in the Jeremy Cay gated community.South Carolina Judicial Branch

Goodstein was reportedly walking on a nearby beach at the time. She has served as a judge since her election in May 1998.

Her husband, Arnold Goodstein, was a Democratic legislator in South Carolina during the 1970s, representing Charleston County.

Aerial view of a burned-down house next to water, with smoke rising. — The State Law Enforcement Division is investigating the cause of the blaze, which reduced the property to ruins. WCBD NEWS 2

The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Authorities have not yet determined what led to the destruction of the property.