Flash flood in southern Utah kills fire captain, his wife and three sons; daughter survives

A flash flood swept through a red-rock canyon near Bicknell, Utah, on Friday, killing five members of a family that had been hiking at Sunglow Campground. The victims were identified by the Provo Fire Department as Captain Spencer Long, his wife Katrina Long and their three sons, Reid, Thayne and Gage. Their daughter, Lydia, was not on the trip and survived.

The Wayne County Sheriff's Office said the flooding was caused by heavy rains earlier in the day. Deputies recovered the bodies of the family members between Friday night and Saturday, after a young male's body was found in the flood wash.

Multiple agencies, including Sevier County Search and Rescue, the Utah Highway Patrol and a helicopter crew from the Utah Department of Public Safety, assisted in the search and recovery effort.

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

"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 Provo Fire Department wrote on social media.

A GoFundMe campaign set up by a family friend to support the surviving daughter had raised more than $184,000 by the following Monday.