Overview

• The Saturday morning blaze destroyed Judge Diane Goodstein’s $1.5 million Edisto Beach home, injuring her husband, son, and another person, with one airlifted after a kayak rescue from nearby marshland.
• Goodstein was walking her dogs when the fire started, later telling reporters she is alright while referring detailed questions to court administrators.
• State Law Enforcement Division Chief Mark Keel said preliminary work shows no evidence the fire was intentionally set and no evidence of a pre‑fire explosion, with the cause still under review.
• South Carolina Chief Justice John Kittredge had initially described an 'apparent explosion,' a characterization SLED now says the evidence does not support.
• The incident prompted a public clash after Rep. Daniel Goldman linked the blaze to right‑wing threats and accused Trump allies, which White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller condemned as 'deeply warped and vile,' as authorities report no verified political motive.