County of Hawaii files lawsuit against utility company for the deadly wildfires
Maui County sues Hawaiian Electric Company for 115 fatalities on Maui Island caused by wildfires.
Maui County is suing Hawaii’s electricity company over the fatal blaze that destroyed Lahaina, alleging that the destruction could have been avoided if the power lines had been turned off.
The lawsuit is the latest step in a growing critical focus on the power provider in the aftermath of the fire that killed at least 115 people, with videos presumably showing downed cables igniting vegetation hours before the tragedy.
According to the lawsuit, there was ample warning of a nearby hurricane’s powerful winds, but Hawaiian Electric and its subsidiaries negligently kept power lines operational.
Lawsuit Alleges Negligence
The lawsuit filed on Thursday states, “These power lines foreseeably ignited the fast-moving, deadly, and destructive Lahaina Fire, which completely destroyed residences, businesses, churches, schools, and historic cultural sites.”
“The defendants were aware that the high winds predicted by the National Weather Service would collapse utility poles, down power lines, and ignite vegetation.
“Defendants were also aware that if their overhead electrical equipment sparked a fire, it would spread at an alarming rate.”
Growing Scrutiny on Power Provider
The county, which is under scrutiny for a lack of preparation prior to the fire and an inadequate response in its aftermath, is demanding unspecified damages and compensation for the devastation.
“Maui County stands alongside the people and communities of Lahaina and Kula to recover public resource damages and rebuild after these devastating utility-caused fires,” the county stated in a statement.
Large expanses of above-ground power lines in California are routinely shut down during periods of high winds, a strategy credited with preventing some fires.
Shelee Kimura, the CEO of Hawaiian Electric, defended the decision to keep the network operational on August 14, stating that Lahaina’s water pumping required electricity.
The fire on August 8 was the deadliest conflagration in the United States in over a century.
It consumed approximately 2,000 acres (800 hectares) and leveled the historic Hawaiian town of Lahaina, a thriving tourist destination.
Strong winds fanned the flames, which moved so swiftly that many residents were oblivious of the fire until they saw it for themselves.
Videos Show Downed Cables and Ignition
Some who attempted to escape the town abandoned their vehicles and sought refuge in the ocean, where they huddled for hours as their homes were consumed by flames.
As the somber search of Lahaina’s charred ruins concludes, the official death toll is expected to rise.
Thousands of individuals have been rendered homeless, and it is anticipated that recovery will take years. According to federal estimates, the fire caused $5.5 billion in damages.
The lawsuit, which also requests a jury trial, was filed a week after the director of Maui’s emergency management agency resigned in response to criticism for not activating the island’s network of warning sirens.
Also on Thursday, Maui County officials released a list of 388 unaccounted-for individuals.
The purpose, according to the police, was to encourage those who knew the whereabouts of the individuals on the list to come forward so that they could be removed.
The practice is common in the aftermath of a disaster, and the number 388 does not necessarily indicate that these individuals are dead; it merely indicates that they have been reported missing to authorities.
Also Read:
