In a shocking turn of events, investigations into the devastating Maui wildfires that claimed the lives of at least 93 individuals have asserted that the catastrophic blaze was ignited by damaged equipment owned by Hawaiian Electric, according to lawyers involved in the case as reported by US media. The fires wreaked havoc on the picturesque city of Lahaina, reducing it to ashes and causing widespread destruction last week.
Legal teams from Watts Guerra, Singleton Schreiber, and Frantz Law Group firms have all independently reached the conclusion that Hawaiian Electric's compromised infrastructure served as the ignition source for the inferno.
"All evidence — videos, witness accounts, burn progression, and utility equipment remaining — points to Hawaiian Electric’s equipment being the ignition source of the fire that devastated Lahaina," Mikal Watts, a representative from Watts Guerra, told a US news agency.
Governor Josh Green has cautioned that the investigations into the cause could extend for weeks or even months, compounding the distress in a state reeling from what he termed its worst natural disaster ever. Governor Green also reported staggering damage, with over 2,200 structures either ruined or severely damaged in west Maui, resulting in an estimated total loss of nearly $6 billion.
Hawaiian Electric had previously reported that powerful winds had toppled power lines in the affected region.
The extent of destruction was most pronounced in Lahaina, where the majority of its infrastructure was obliterated by the blazes, leaving some residents with no alternative but to leap into the ocean for their safety.
As survivors return to their devastated neighborhoods, officials have issued warnings to Lahaina and Kula residents against consuming running water and have advised them to only shower in well-ventilated spaces to mitigate potential chemical vapor exposure. Amidst the wreckage, federal emergency teams are methodically sifting through the ruined cities, marking locations with an "X" to be systematically searched by rescue crews and cadaver dogs.
Maui Police Chief John Pelletier has grimly predicted that the current count of casualties is likely to rise, adding to the already heartrending loss.