Utah firefighter and four family members killed in flash flooding

Image source, Provo Fire & Rescue By Ana Faguy Published 20 July 2026 Five members of a Utah family were killed in a flash flood over the weekend after going out for a day of hiking in the southern part of the US state, according to law enforcement officials.

The victims included a fire captain, Spencer Long, his wife and three sons. A daughter who did not join the outing is the only member of the family not to have died.

"It is believed the family fell victim to flooding caused by heavy rains," the Wayne County Sheriff's Office said in a statement, which did not name those who were killed.

Identification of the family instead came from Provo Fire & Rescue, which announced the death of Captain Spencer Long in a statement of its own.

"We are absolutely heartbroken by the death of Captain Spencer Long and his family," the fire department said. "Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and colleagues during this difficult time."

A GoFundMe page appears to connect the sheriff's statement with the fire department and says that Long, his wife Katrina and their three sons - Reid, Thayne and Gage - died in a flash flood incident.

The fundraising effort also says that the couple had a daughter whose "life has forever been changed in an instant".

The family arrived at a campground near Bicknell, Utah, for a day trip on Friday, the sheriff's office said in its statement.

Officials were called to that campground around 17:00 local time (23:00 GMT) on Friday, where a young male victim was found dead.

Upon searching, another two male victims were found dead, the statement added.

On Saturday, the search resumed for the remaining two individuals, who the sheriff's office later confirmed were found dead.