There are now 115 confirmed fatalities from the devastating wildfires in Hawaii
The people of Maui, Hawaii, continue to feel the impact of the devastating wildfires on its island.
Just one day after Maui County shared in an update that there are now 115 confirmed fatalities from the wildfires, the county announced that it had filed a lawsuit against Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc, who, according to its website, “serves 95 percent of Hawaii’s 1.4 million residents on the islands of Oahu, Maui, Hawaii, Lanai and Molokai.” Included in the lawsuit are also Maui Electric Company, Limited, Hawaiʻi Electric Light Company, Inc., and Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc.
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In documents obtained by PEOPLE of the county’s complaint, it is alleged that the defendants “inexcusably kept their power lines energized during the forecasted high-fire danger conditions.”
“They own, design, construct, operate, maintain, and repair powerlines and other equipment to transmit electricity to residents, businesses, schools, and industries in the State of Hawai‘i, including in and around the ignition points for the Maui Fires,” the lawsuit states.
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In the lawsuit, the county of Maui alleges that the “defendants’ inactions caused loss of life, severe injuries, complete destruction of homes and businesses, displacement of thousands of people, and damage to many of Hawai‘i’s historic and cultural sites.”
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“Maui County stands alongside the people and communities of Lāhainā and Kula to recover public resource damages and rebuild after these devastating utility-caused fires,” the county added in its announcement of the lawsuit.
In an update shared across the company’s social media platforms and website on Thursday, Hawaiian Electric Company shared that they would be conducting aerial line inspections of transmission lines in West Maui, South Maui, and the Upcountry area, weather permitting.
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“These inspections, conducted via helicopter, will help provide updated views of the island’s transmission lines and other electrical infrastructure in the above-named areas. In some areas, the aircraft may be required to fly low and slow, which may cause temporary noise disturbances,” the update read.
PEOPLE has reached out to Hawaiian Electric Company for comment.
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education