Three law firms filed a class-action lawsuit against Hawaiian Electric on Saturday, alleging that the utility’s downed power lines significantly contributed to the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century.
As of Sunday, at least 93 people are confirmed dead in the Maui wildfires, the largest such toll in a U.S. wildfire in more than a century
The NWS issued a Red Flag Warning for portions of the Hawaiian Islands, including West Maui. On Aug. 8. Despite Hawaiian Electric officials’ knowledge of these warnings, they failed to shut off the downed lines, causing loss of life, serious injuries, destruction of hundreds of homes and businesses, displacement of thousands of people and damage to many of Hawaii’s historic and cultural sites, the complaint alleges.
The practice of deenergizing power lines during fire weather conditions is commonplace in the Western United States, the suit says. Public Safety Power Shutoffs are used during Red Flag and High Wind conditions to prevent wildfires, to protect against dangerous conditions that could damage equipment and spark a fire.
“There was absolutely knowledge within the state and within the electric industry that fire was a huge, huge concern on the island of Maui, and even more so than any of the other islands," Potter said, according to the complaint. from June 2022.
A spokesperson on the lawsuit in a statement to Spectrum News, saying that the company does not comment on pending litigation as a policy.
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