Five members of a Utah family lost their lives after a sudden flash flood during a weekend hike near Bicknell.
Fire captain Spencer Long, his wife Katrina, and their three sons Reid, Thayne and Gage were swept away by the torrent of water. A daughter who stayed at home survived the disaster.
Wayne County Sheriff’s office attributed the tragedy to heavy rainfall that produced a sudden flood. The statement did not list the victims’ names, but later confirmation came from Provo Fire & Rescue.
Provo Fire & Rescue released a heartfelt message about the loss: “We are absolutely heartbroken by the death of Captain Spencer Long and his family. Our thoughts are with their friends and colleagues during this difficult time.”
The family was camped at a local site near the town on Friday. Sheriff’s deputies arrived around 5:00 p.m. L.A. time and found one child’s body, later discovering two more. Search teams resumed the following day and located the remaining two victims.
A GoFundMe page linked the sheriff’s statement with the fire department’s statement and confirms the names of the victims. It also mentions their daughter’s life being irrevocably altered by the incident.
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