Why is Maui County suing Hawaiian Electric? Island files lawsuit against company after catastrophic wildfires
MAUII, HAWAII: The aftermath of the devastating wildfires on Maui continues to reverberate as the island grapples with the aftermath of the catastrophe.
In a significant move, Maui County has taken legal action by filing a lawsuit against Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc.
The company, which serves a substantial portion of Hawaii's residents across various islands, finds itself at the center of a legal battle in the wake of the wildfires that have caused widespread devastation.
(Hawaiian Electric Industries website)
Maui County's lawsuit against Hawaiian Electric Company
Merely a day after confirming a staggering count of 115 fatalities resulting from the wildfires, Maui County unveiled its lawsuit against Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc that "serves 95 percent of Hawaii’s 1.4 million residents on the islands of Oahu, Maui, Hawaii, Lanai and Molokai."
Maui.
— The opinionated Black woman ~ Aunty (@Theblackfemini3) August 10, 2023
There's something not right here.
Where's all the trees to propel the wild fire?
Why didn't the tree tops burn?
Normally I don't buy into, what would seem crazy, but there's something not right. pic.twitter.com/bIFvJNXlpo
The lawsuit also implicates related entities such as Maui Electric Company, Limited, Hawaiʻi Electric Light Company, Inc, and Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc. The county's complaint alleges that the defendants "inexcusably kept their power lines energized during the forecasted high-fire danger conditions."
Before and after photographs of the fire damage in Lahaina, Maui.
— KanekoaTheGreat (@KanekoaTheGreat) August 10, 2023
Absolutely devastating. pic.twitter.com/rYfLYN2bAg
"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.
Included in the lawsuit are Maui Electric Company, Limited, Hawaiʻi Electric Light Company, Inc, and Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc.
What are Maui County's claims against the defendants?
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."
"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.
Meanwhile, Hawaiian Electric Company is taking measures to address the situation.
The company recently shared an update indicating their intention to conduct aerial line inspections of transmission lines across West Maui, South Maui, and the Upcountry area, subject to weather conditions.
These aerial inspections, facilitated by helicopters, aim to offer updated perspectives of the island's electrical infrastructure in the affected regions.
The company acknowledges that some inspections might require low and slow flights, possibly causing temporary noise disturbances.