Utah fire captain, wife and three sons killed in flash flood
Provo Fire Captain Spencer Long, his wife Katrina and their three sons died after flooding swept through a southern Utah canyon, officials said.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
3 min read
A Provo fire captain, his wife and their three sons were killed after a flash flood tore through a red rock canyon area in southern Utah, authorities and fire officials said.
The Wayne County Sheriff’s Office said the family had gone Friday to Sunglow Campground, near Bicknell, for a day hike. Investigators believe they were caught by flooding triggered by heavy rain, according to a sheriff’s office news release.
The sheriff’s office did not name the victims in its initial release. Provo Fire and Rescue later identified one of those killed as Captain Spencer Long and said members of his family also died.
“We are absolutely heartbroken by the death of Captain Spencer Long and his family,” the department wrote in a social media post. The agency said its thoughts were with Long’s family, friends and colleagues.
A GoFundMe page created by a family friend identified the other victims as Long’s wife, Katrina, and their sons Reid, Thayne and Gage. The fundraiser said the couple’s daughter, Lydia, was not on the trip and survived.
Body found in flood wash
Deputies were called to Sunglow Campground late Friday after the body of a young male was found in a flood wash, the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office said. The remaining bodies were recovered late Friday and Saturday, according to the office.
Heavy rain and flooding passed through the area Friday and created dangerous conditions for people outdoors, CBS affiliate KUTV reported, citing deputies.
Wayne County Sheriff Micah Gulley said several agencies assisted in the search, including Sevier County Search and Rescue, the Utah Highway Patrol and a Utah Department of Public Safety helicopter crew.
Tributes and support for surviving daughter
Provo Fire and Rescue changed its Facebook profile photo to show the department badge with a black bar across it, a sign of mourning for a member of the agency.
The GoFundMe page said Lydia Long is now facing life after losing her parents and brothers. The fundraiser had collected more than $184,000 as of Monday.
“Spencer and Katrina were loving, devoted parents whose greatest joy was their family,” Bree Nielson wrote on the fundraising page. Nielson said the couple had touched many lives with kindness, generosity and love.
Katrina Long was a cofounder of Summit Medical Spa, according to a Facebook post from the business. The spa said its hearts were with the family’s loved ones as they grieved the loss of Katrina, her husband and their three sons.
Sunglow Campground sits in a scenic canyon area near Bicknell, a small community in Wayne County. The sheriff’s office said the deaths appear to be tied to flash flooding from heavy rains.
This story draws on original reporting from CBS News.