S.C. Judge Diane Goodstein’s Edisto Island Home Destroyed in Suspected Arson; Occupants Rescued by Kayak
On Oct. 4 the waterfront home of Circuit Court Judge Diane Schafer Goodstein, a former state senator, on Edisto Beach about 50 miles southwest of Charleston was gutted by a blaze that forced first responders to use kayaks to evacuate occupants from the backyard; Goodstein (69) was reportedly out walking dogs, her husband Arnold Goodstein (81) and others escaped with three people injured and Arnold suffering injuries after jumping from a backyard-facing window. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) investigated the fire as a possible arson but said its preliminary probe found no evidence the blaze was intentionally set or of a pre-fire explosion, and SLED Chief Mark Keel urged officials and media to avoid sharing unverified information while a follow-up statement is prepared.
📌 Key Facts
- On Oct. 4, a fire destroyed Circuit Court Judge Diane Schafer Goodstein’s waterfront home on the shore of Edisto Beach, about 50 miles southwest of Charleston; the State Supreme Court said officials are investigating the blaze.
- Diane Schafer Goodstein is a circuit court judge and former Democratic state senator; occupants included Goodstein (69) and her husband Arnold Goodstein (81).
- First responders used kayaks to rescue occupants from the backyard as the waterfront house burned; three people were reported injured.
- Arnold Goodstein jumped out of a backyard-facing window to escape the flames and suffered injuries; Judge Goodstein was reportedly out walking their dogs at the time of the fire.
- The St. Paul Fire District and the Edisto Beach Fire Department assisted in firefighting, and the South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) led the investigation.
- SLED initially investigated the blaze as a possible arson, but in a preliminary investigation agents found no evidence the fire was intentionally set and no evidence of a pre-fire explosion.
- SLED chief Mark Keel urged officials and media to avoid sharing unverified information and said a follow-up statement will be issued when the investigation concludes.
📰 Sources (4)
- SLED (South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division) preliminary investigation found no evidence the fire was intentionally set.
- SLED agents preliminarily found no evidence to support a pre-fire explosion.
- SLED chief Mark Keel publicly urged officials and media to avoid sharing unverified information and said a follow-up statement will be issued upon conclusion of the investigation.
- State Supreme Court publicly said officials are investigating the Oct. 4 fire.
- Location specified as the judge's home on the shore of Edisto Beach about 50 miles southwest of Charleston.
- Identifies Diane Goodstein as a circuit court judge and notes she is a former state senator (former Democratic state senator).
- First responders used kayaks to rescue the occupants from the backyard as the waterfront house burned.
- The occupants are identified as Circuit Court Judge Diane Schafer Goodstein (69) and her husband Arnold Goodstein (81); three people were reported injured.
- Arnold Goodstein jumped out of a backyard-facing window to escape the flames and suffered injuries; the judge was reportedly out walking their dogs at the time.
- State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) is investigating the blaze as a possible arson; St. Paul Fire District and Edisto Beach Fire Department assisted in firefighting.