The Maui Fire Department dedicated almost all the personnel and cars available. But the unprecedented fires ended up causing 101 deaths in the historic city of Lahaina.
Firefighters "risked their lives in a valiant effort to stop the spread of fires and save lives," the report says. The document identifies 17 specific problems and makes 111 recommendations aimed at preventing similar disasters in Hawaii in the future. It is the first of two reports of the deadliest U.S. fire in a century to be released this week. The other was prepared by the Attorney General of Hawaii and will be published this Wednesday, with a chronology of the hours before, during, and after the event. The report describes the hardships and dire conditions they faced in the Lahaina fire, as well as the deployment of resources elsewhere, the rapid burning of structures amid extreme winds, and downed power lines that made movement difficult. They settled on a number of solutions, including mutual aid agreements between Hawaii counties and a lack of equipment. Hawaiian Electric has acknowledged that one of its power lines fell and caused a fire in Lahaina early on Aug. 8. The company denies it caused the flames that swept through the city later that day. Emergency officials did not use Hawaii's network of emergency sirens to warn residents. Other recommendations include creating a state mutual aid program and an evacuation plan for residents and tourists who speak different languages. The report also recommends that the mobile phone system be analyzed. It also describes the chaos that ensued after the fire got out of control. Around 6:00 p.m., he says, fire trucks passed over downed power lines carrying evacuees to safety. One group stumbled upon a couple who had found a baby, and another pulled people from the water near the dam after they jumped into the ocean to avoid the flames, the report says. It asserts that a repeater allowed radio communications to be maintained even though mobile phone towers and damage to fiber optic cables had interrupted the phone network.