BICKNELL, Utah — A firefighter, his wife, and three of their children were killed by a flash flood in southern Utah on Friday.
On Saturday, Provo Fire & Rescue announced the passing of Capt. Spencer Long and members of his family.
The Wayne County Sheriff’s Office said five people were found dead after being caught up in flooding at a campground in Bicknell on Friday.
While neither agency would confirm that these were the same two incidents, a GoFundMe connects the two incidents and says Long, his wife Katrina, and their three sons died in a flash flooding incident. It also says the couple had a daughter whose "life has forever been changed in an instant."
In addition, Facebook posts from Mona City, where Katrina was a former council member, and Summit Medical Spa, of which Katrina was a co-founder, shared their sadness and condolences.
"Katrina dedicated countless hours of service to our community, and her kindness, leadership, and commitment made a lasting impact on so many lives. We will forever be grateful for all that Katrina and her family have done to support and strengthen our community," Mona City's post read. "Katrina's legacy of service and compassion will not be forgotten."
"[Katrina] was the heart of Summit Medical Spa," the business added. "She led with kindness, grace, and unwavering compassion, making every employee, client, and friend feel valued, supported, and truly appreciated... The Long family will forever remain in our hearts, and their legacy will live on through the lives they touched and the community they helped create."
"Today, we join our brothers and sisters at Provo Fire & Rescue in mourning the heartbreaking loss of one of their own," Pleasant Grove City Fire Department also wrote, along with several other local neighboring fire departments sharing their support. "Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the firefighter’s family, friends, and every member of Provo Fire & Rescue during this incredibly difficult time."
The incident
Wayne County officials said deputies were called to the Sunglow Campground on Friday around 5 p.m. after a young male victim was found dead in a wash.
The search and rescue team later found evidence of the family having arrived in the area around 11:30 a.m. to go hiking and canyoneering.
During an ensuing search, two more victims, both male, were found dead. A search then continued for two missing individuals.
The sheriff's office later confirmed that they had found the two other family members, also deceased, around noon on Saturday. They said all victims are now accounted for.
The sheriff's office said flooding in the area due to heavy rains was the most likely contributing factor to their deaths.
“We were sitting on the front patio when we saw sheriffs from Sevier County, Wayne County, the Highway Patrol, all going in front of the house and heading up over towards there, but we didn't know really anything about the flood because it wasn't really raining here," said James Todd Manwill, who lives near the flooded area.
Manwill said his community has seen its share of flooding, but this impacted everyone extra hard.
“Just heartbreaking that this happened," he said. "I think they were kind of a young family, probably just out having a good time... I just feel bad for them.”
The Wayne County resident feels something could be done to reduce the chances of another tragedy like this happening.
"We need to have ... some kind of warning system about monsoon season down in our county because we've had some serious flash floods down here before," he said. "Find out if it's going to rain, and even if it's miles and miles away, you could be affected if you're in a slot canyon."
