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South Carolina authorities are stepping back from arson as a potential cause for the fire at the waterfront home of a longtime judge and her Vietnam War hero husband after a preliminary investigation — but questions remain about the cause of the blaze that leveled their million-dollar home in Edisto Beach.
Judge Diane Schafer Goodstein, 69, was out walking her dogs when the house went up in flames Saturday, according to the Post and Courier. Her husband, 81-year-old former state lawmaker Arnold Goodstein, reportedly suffered broken legs after jumping out a window to escape the heat. Their son and grandson were also injured.
“At this time, there is no evidence to indicate the fire was intentionally set,” Mark Keel, chief of South Carolina’s State Law Enforcement Division (SLED), said Monday night. “SLED agents have preliminarily found there is no evidence to support a pre-fire explosion.”
Investigators were still looking into the cause of the fire, however.
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“Upon the conclusion of the investigation, SLED will issue a follow-up statement with additional information,” Keel added. “I urge our citizens, elected officials and members of the press to exercise good judgment and not share information that has not been verified.”
The following questions remain unanswered as the probe continues:
What caused the fire?
Despite early reports that an explosion preceded the house fire, authorities ruled that out. Without evidence that it was intentionally set, the cause is still unknown.
According to the U.S. Fire Administration, which operates under the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the vast majority of house fires are caused by mishaps involving cooking equipment. Less often, they can be sparked by electrical problems, heating equipment or “unintentional, careless” behavior.
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Did prior threats play a role?
Judge Goodstein had ruled against the Trump administration last month in a case regarding voter registration, but her decision has already been overruled by a higher court.
Still, New York Democratic Rep. Daniel Goldman claimed “MAGA-world” and White House officials, including President Donald Trump and Stephen Miller, have “been doxxing and threatening judges,” on X over the weekend.
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“Today, someone committed arson on the Judge’s home, severely injuring her husband and son,” he wrote on Sunday. “Will Trump speak out against the extreme right that did this??”
Goldman was a key part of the first impeachment proceedings against Trump during his first time in office. He could not immediately be reached for comment.
Miller called the X post “demented smears” and “libelous madness,” while Keel doused the allegation Monday night, when he said there was no indication that the fire had been set intentionally.
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A spokesperson for SLED did not immediately respond to questions about whether investigators had confirmed the Goodsteins were receiving threats.
Keel said separately there was no evidence that the fire had been set off by an explosion as if it were linked to a bombing.
What is the extent of the victims’ injuries?
Firefighters said they raced to the isolated home in kayaks to help victims, at least one of whom needed an airlift to the hospital. But details of the rescue beyond that remain unclear.
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Three people were hospitalized, and Arnold Goodstein reportedly broke both legs after jumping out of a backyard window. Details about the injuries of two more victims, believed to be other family members, remain unclear.
According to Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., the blaze also killed the family’s pets.
What evidence has been collected?
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Fire marshals have likely already evaluated what remains of the burned-out structure as they searched for signs of its origin and potential accelerants, according to Fire Administration guidelines. The full investigation, which may include forensic testing of materials recovered from the scene, could take up to several months.
Bystanders also took video from the air and water nearby, which may or may not have evidentiary value.
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