Maui County sues Hawaiian Electric Company over recent fires

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Maui residents put up crosses in memory of the victims of the wildfires. Associated Press/Photo by Jae C. Hong

Maui County sues Hawaiian Electric Company over recent fires

The county claimed in the lawsuit Thursday that the utility did not turn off power during the high winds and knew power lines posed a fire risk. Those winds, from a passing hurricane, downed utility poles in the area. Witnesses have reported sparks from fallen power lines caught dry grass and brush on fire. Hawaiian Electric Vice President Jim Kelly told CNN that the company does not have a formal shut-off program in place and has to arrange precautionary shutdowns with first responders. An investigation into the cause of the wildfires is ongoing, Hawaii Electric said in a statement.

Are there any updates on the missing? Police in Maui on Thursday released the names of 388 people still missing. The FBI says there are hundreds more unaccounted for that are not on the list. Search teams have found the bodies of at least 115 people, but not all of them have been identified.

Dig deeper: Read Sharon Dierberger and Grace Snell’s report in WORLD Magazine about insurance for natural disasters in California.

Lauren Canterberry

Lauren Canterberry is a reporter for WORLD. She graduated from the World Journalism Institute and the University of Georgia with a degree in journalism, both in 2017. She worked as a local reporter in Texas and now lives in Georgia with her husband.