Utah flash flood kills fire captain and family

A Provo fire captain, his wife and their three sons were killed after a flash flood swept through a southern Utah canyon during a family hiking trip, authorities and fire officials said. A daughter who was not on the outing is the family’s sole survivor.

The family arrived Friday at Sunglow Campground, in a red rock canyon near Bicknell, Utah, for a day excursion, the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office said. Heavy rain moved through the area, creating dangerous conditions for people outdoors, CBS affiliate KUTV reported, citing deputies.

“It is believed the family fell victim to flooding caused by heavy rains,” the sheriff’s office said in a news release.

The sheriff’s office did not identify the victims, but the Provo Fire Department confirmed in a social media post that Capt. Spencer Long and members of his family had died.

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

The department also changed its Facebook profile photo to the agency’s badge marked with a black bar, a symbol used to signal the death of a member.

Deputies were called to the campground Friday night after the body of a young male was found in the flood wash. The bodies of the other family members were recovered late Friday and Saturday, officials said.

A GoFundMe page set up by family friend Bree Nielson identified the victims as Spencer Long; his wife, Katrina; and their sons Reid, Thayne and Gage. The fundraiser was created to support the Longs’ daughter, Lydia, as she faces the loss of her family. CBS News reported the page had raised more than $184,000 as of Monday.

“Our Provo Fire family is heartbroken to lose Captain Spencer Long, his wife Katrina, and their three sons Reid, Thayne and Gage due to a devastating flash flood Thursday evening,” the fundraising page reads. “In an instant, their daughter Lydia lost the people she loved most and is now facing an unimaginable future without them.”

Nielson wrote that Spencer and Katrina Long were “loving, devoted parents whose greatest joy was their family.”

“They touched the lives of so many with their kindness, generosity, and unwavering love,” she wrote.

Katrina Long was the co-founder of Summit Medical Spa. The business posted a tribute on Facebook after the deaths.

“Our hearts are with all of their loved ones as we grieve the unimaginable loss of Katrina, her husband, and their three beautiful boys,” Summit Medical Spa wrote.

Wayne County Sheriff Micah Gulley said multiple agencies assisted with the search, including Sevier County Search and Rescue, the Utah Highway Patrol and a helicopter crew from the Utah Department of Public Safety.