Five members of a Utah family were killed in a sudden flash flood over the weekend, according to law enforcement officials.
The victims, comprising fire captain Spencer Long, his wife Katrina, and their three sons – Reid, Thayne, and Gage – were hiking out for a day at a campground near Bicknell when heavy rains turned the area into a lethal torrent.
Officials met the campground at around 1700 local time (2300 GMT) on Friday, finding the first male victim dead. Subsequent searches located two more men at the scene, while a Saturday operation recovered the bodies of the remaining two family members.
Provo Fire & Rescue double‑checked the family’s identity, and the group’s name was released only after the sheriff’s office confirmed the victims’ relationship. Live updates were posted on social media, and a GoFundMe was launched to aid the surviving daughter and lend support to the family’s grieving community.
The sheriff’s statement noted that "heavy rains” had created the catastrophic flash flood, and a resignation or comment from the Sheriff's Office was not included. The tragedy has left the community stunned and once more reminded of how quickly Utah’s desert landscapes can turn perilous.
