A beachfront home belonging to a South Carolina judge has been destroyed in a massive fire, sending three family members to hospital, including her former state senator husband. Circuit Court Judge Diane Goodstein, 69, was walking her dogs when the blaze erupted at the Jeremy Cay gated community on Edisto Beach at around 11.30am on Saturday.
Her husband, Arnold Goodstein, 81, and other family members escaped from the upper floors as the fire took hold. They were rescued from marshland by emergency services in kayaks. South Carolina Chief Justice John Kittredge said the fire began with an 'apparent explosion'. 'The family had to escape by jumping from a window or balcony. I’m told there were injuries from the fall, such as broken legs,' he said. Arnold Goodstein was airlifted to hospital with the most serious injuries.
The four-bedroom, four-bathroom property was valued at $1.55m. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division is investigating the cause, including possible arson. Last month, Judge Goodstein ruled against the Trump administration in a case involving voter registration data, and had received multiple death threats following her September 2 ruling.
