Hawaiian Electric points finger at Maui County over devastating wildfires, stock jumps 40%

CNBC ^ | 08/28/2023 | Spencer Kimball

[BenLurkin]

The utility said power lines toppled by high winds likely caused the morning brush fire in Lahaina but electricity had been off for hours when a second fire occurred that afternoon. [emphasis added]

Hawaiian Electric said power lines appear to have caused the brush fire that started at 6:30 a.m. local time at the intersection of Lahainaluna Road and Hookahua Street in the historic town. The small fire near the downed poles spread into a field near Lahaina Intermediate School.

The Maui County Fire Department responded to the morning fire and declared it had been extinguished, according to the company’s account of events leading up to the wildfires.

Hawaiian Electric crews repairing the downed poles later saw a fire around 3 p.m. about 75 yards away in the field near Lahaina Intermediate School and immediately reported it to authorities, according to the company.

Hawaiian Electric said the power had been off for hours when the crew witnessed that second fire in the field. By the time the county fire department responded to the afternoon fire, they were unable to contain the blaze as it spread out of control toward Lahaina, according to the company.

[Steely Tom]

It’s a great idea when local governments go to war against the suppliers of electricity. Always comes to an amusing end.

[AzNASCARfan]

I wonder if this is that field… no power lines down but a melted car sitting in the middle of unburnt gravel area… crazy stuff, does a grass fire get hot enough to melt glass and aluminum??? Takes all night in a camp fire to melt an aluminum can but the glass bottles are usually still there in the morning.

https://youtu.be/Q9L9WvlCli0?si=AL_UWZ5YxCz-_sY_

[eyeamok]

Hawaiian Electric said the power had been off for hours when the crew witnessed that second fire in the field

They were Magic Wires... Arlen Spector

[LeoWindhorse]

Question for HELCO; Why would MPD close roads for downed powerlines if the powerlines were de-energized?....

[PGR88]

Leftists of Hawaii learned it from filthy leftists in California.

Manage everything badly. Blame public utility for fires, sue them. Get government paid by raising rates on everyone else, and have your cronies involved in the reconstruction and payouts. Promote climate change BS. Avoid all responsibility

Its a fantastic scam.

[coloradan]

Orders to kill the locals?

[Eagles6]

Why is the ATF involved in the investigation?

[tophat9000]

Well the local that survived should be able to validate that quickly... did then have no power before the fires? If they had no power for four hours before the main fire started.. that back up the power company story.. if the had power then to power company is full of s-it

But the two fires part I’ve heard several times now

There was a fire that morning that got put out... it was a second fire later in the day that was the big one

[mac_truck]

I wonder if this is that field… no power lines down but a melted car sitting in the middle of unburnt gravel area…

That sounds like arson to me...

[LeoWindhorse]

Most of the cops and national guard here ARE LOCALS . Nobody’s killing nobody . Besides , ‘ the locals ‘ mostly all have guns themselves . Problems in Maui stemmed from utility company malfeasance and complacency . County government too, total , initial, ineptitude. . Topped off by State DLNR incompetence. The cops, MPD ( again: ‘locals’) did some really sketchy things , in vehicle movement control. But they also saved a lot of lives in real time ,while the fire raged... These State & County officials are lucky ( so far) that ‘ the locals ‘ haven’t gone after them. People are pussed. Beyond pissed . Verging on mental . Can’t really blame them . It was the f- of up of all time...