After the devastating Maui Fires in Lahaina, West Maui, Hawaii in August 2023, search and recovery team members are diligently examining charred buildings and cars for any clues. The wildfires have taken a toll, resulting in the loss of more than 100 lives, causing extensive damage worth billions of dollars, and leaving hundreds of people missing. The Hawaiian Electric utility company is now facing a lawsuit from Maui County, which holds them responsible for triggering these catastrophic fires.
The utility company maintains that power lines were knocked down due to high winds, which likely led to the initial brush fire in Lahaina. However, the company asserts that the electricity had already been turned off for several hours when a second fire occurred that afternoon.
In response to the lawsuit, Hawaiian Electric’s stock experienced a significant increase of over 40% on Monday. CEO Shelee Kimura expressed surprise and disappointment at the County of Maui’s decision to file the lawsuit before completing its own investigation. Kimura believes that the complaint is both factually and legally irresponsible.
Despite this, Kimura acknowledges that the company may be compelled to demonstrate its responsibility in court due to the county’s legal action.
According to Hawaiian Electric, the brush fire initially started at around 6:30 a.m. local time at the intersection of Lahainaluna Road and Hookahua Street. This small fire, originating near the downed power poles, later spread into a field near Lahaina Intermediate School.
The company claims that the Maui County Fire Department responded and declared the morning fire extinguished. Hawaiian Electric’s repair crews, while working on the downed power poles, discovered a second fire around 3 p.m. in the field near Lahaina Intermediate School. They promptly reported it to the authorities.
Hawaiian Electric emphasizes that the power had been shut off for several hours prior to the crew spotting the second fire. Unfortunately, the county fire department was unable to contain the blaze as it quickly spread out of control towards Lahaina.
Hawaiian Electric is currently facing multiple lawsuits seeking compensation for damages allegedly caused by their involvement in the Maui wildfires. Fitch, a leading ratings agency, has downgraded Hawaiian Electric’s credit rating to junk status due to concerns that the company may face over $3.8 billion in potential liability, which could pose an existential threat to the company’s survival.
The investigation into the cause of the Maui wildfire outbreak, the deadliest in the United States in over a century, is still ongoing. State, local, and federal officials, including a team from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, are working together to determine the exact cause of the fires. Hawaiian Electric has informed the ATF that it possesses records proving that no electricity was flowing through its wires at the time the second fire broke out.
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