❓WHAT HAPPENED: A $1.5 million home belonging to South Carolina Circuit Court Judge Diane Goodstein exploded, with local law enforcement working to determine if the blast was the result of an accident or arson.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Judge Diane Goodstein, her husband Arnie, her son Arnold Goodstein II, and other family members.
📍WHEN & WHERE: Saturday morning, October 4, 2025, at the judge’s beachfront property in Edisto Beach, South Carolina.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Judge Goodstein was walking on the beach when the fire started. Her husband, Arnie, was in the house with children and perhaps grandchildren.” – South Carolina Chief Justice John Kittredge.
🎯IMPACT: Multiple family members were hospitalized, and authorities are investigating to determine the cause of the explosion and subsequent fire.
An explosion and subsequent fire destroyed the $1.5 million Edisto Beach home of South Carolina Circuit Court Judge Diane Goodstein on Saturday morning. The explosion occurred just weeks after Judge Goodstein issued a ruling against the Trump administration, blocking the state from handing over voter registration data to the federal government.
Judge Goodstein was walking on the beach at the time of the explosion. Her husband, Arnie, and other family members were inside the home and had to escape by jumping from windows or balconies. Arnie Goodstein sustained serious injuries, including multiple broken bones, and was airlifted to a hospital. The condition of her son, Arnold Goodstein II, remains unclear.
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) is investigating the cause of the fire, which began around 11:30 AM on Saturday. Chief Justice John Kittredge confirmed that local law enforcement has been alerted to provide additional patrols and security for the judge and her family.
While the corporate media and Democrat voices have been quick to tie the explosion to the judge’s fight with the Trump White House and South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster (R), law enforcement has stressed that the fire’s cause remains under investigation. Notably, Arnie Goodstein—a former state senator and builder—controversially discharged $61 million in debt through bankrupcy in 2011, leaving creditors, contractors, and other vendors on the hook.
NEW: Police have launched an investigation after SC Judge Diane Goodstein’s Edisto Beach home burned to the ground after an ‘apparent explosion.’
Goodstein’s husband, former State Senator Arnold Goodstein, was rushed to the hospital along with other family members.
“Judge… pic.twitter.com/Yu87G3l7ne
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) October 5, 2025
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