Maui County sues utility, alleging negligence over fires that ravaged Lahaina

1 year ago 30

So it turned out really well, save nearly three quarters of the remains that have been tested for DNA thus far have generated surgical DNA results. We need family members to come forward and donate their samples so that we can compare them to these DNA profiles we've already generated from remains. This is *** critical step in order to make an identification based on the DNA testing that's already been done. It's important that families that are missing loved ones come to the Family Assistance Center, the Family Assistance Center will welcome you in. We encourage you to come together with your family members, multiple samples from *** given family are best. So we'd like multiple people from the same family to come forward and give their samples. All of this testing is happening right here now and the samples that are donated at the Family Assistance Center are not being entered into any sort of government run databases that are used for any other purposes. The samples are only being used for the sole purpose of comparison to this disaster and the remains that are recovered from this disaster. We're into our Darnest to get it right. And make every effort to do that. 2000 people on 9 11 were not recovered. We don't have that type of devastation with the towers like we saw there, but we have an entire town that's destroyed and we're going to do everything we can again to get that right.

Maui County sued Hawaiian Electric Company on Thursday over the fires that devastated Lahaina, saying the utility negligently failed to shut off power despite exceptionally high winds and dry conditions.Witness accounts and video indicated that sparks from power lines ignited fires as utility poles snapped in the winds, which were driven by a passing hurricane. The Aug. 8 fire killed at least 115 people and left an unknown number of others missing.A spokesperson for Hawaiian Electric didn’t immediately respond to an email seeking comment.Had the utility heeded weather service “warnings and de-energized their powerlines during the predicted high-wind gusts, this destruction could have been avoided," the lawsuit said.The lawsuit said the utility had a duty “to properly maintain and repair the electric transmission lines, and other equipment including utility poles associated with their transmission of electricity, and to keep vegetation properly trimmed and maintained so as to prevent contact with overhead power lines and other electric equipment.”The utility knew that high winds “would topple power poles, knock down power lines, and ignite vegetation,” the lawsuit said. “Defendants also knew that if their overhead electrical equipment ignited a fire, it would spread at a critically rapid rate.”The lawsuit notes other utilities, such as Southern California Edison Company, Pacific Gas & Electric, and San Diego Gas & Electric, have all implemented Public Safety Power Shutoffs during high wind events and said the “severe and catastrophic losses ... could have easily been prevented" if Hawaiian Electric had a similar shutoff plan.

Witness accounts and video indicated that sparks from power lines ignited fires as utility poles snapped in the winds, which were driven by a passing hurricane. The Aug. 8 fire killed at least 115 people and left an unknown number of others missing.

A spokesperson for Hawaiian Electric didn’t immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

Had the utility heeded weather service “warnings and de-energized their powerlines during the predicted high-wind gusts, this destruction could have been avoided," the lawsuit said.

The lawsuit said the utility had a duty “to properly maintain and repair the electric transmission lines, and other equipment including utility poles associated with their transmission of electricity, and to keep vegetation properly trimmed and maintained so as to prevent contact with overhead power lines and other electric equipment.”

The utility knew that high winds “would topple power poles, knock down power lines, and ignite vegetation,” the lawsuit said. “Defendants also knew that if their overhead electrical equipment ignited a fire, it would spread at a critically rapid rate.”

The lawsuit notes other utilities, such as Southern California Edison Company, Pacific Gas & Electric, and San Diego Gas & Electric, have all implemented Public Safety Power Shutoffs during high wind events and said the “severe and catastrophic losses ... could have easily been prevented" if Hawaiian Electric had a similar shutoff plan.

Read Entire Article