Hawaiian Electric Responds to Lahaina Lawsuits

Big Island Gazette ^ | August 28, 2023 | Staff

[ConservativeInPA]

Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc. (“Hawaiian Electric”), a subsidiary of Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc. (NYSE: HE) (“HEI”), today issued the following update in response to the lawsuit filed on Thursday by the County of Maui.

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Several important facts are clear about the events on Aug. 8:

• A fire at 6:30 a.m. (the “Morning Fire”) appears to have been caused by power lines that fell in high winds.

• The Maui County Fire Department responded to this fire, reported it was “100% contained,” left the scene and later declared it had been “extinguished.”

• At about 3 p.m., a time when all of Hawaiian Electric’s power lines in West Maui had been de-energized for more than six hours, a second fire (the “Afternoon Fire”) began in the same area.

• The cause of the devastating Afternoon Fire has not been determined.

[griswold3]

They’ll pay off then raise rates.

[cableguymn]

• The cause of the devastating Afternoon Fire has not been determined.

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facts don’t matter. that is why they filed the suit. get ready to pay up.

[EEGator]

I wonder who owns the land where the long grasses were?
I don’t know about MECO, but around here the utility has easements on private property, and are not responsible for maintenance of the grounds.
It sounds like a colossal screw up on numerous levels.

[Jeff Chandler]

With the right jury, the payouts will be enormous in spite of any facts.

[lightman]

Around here the utility easements allow the companies to clear cut with chain saws dangling from helicopters and/or to spray herbicides only slightly less lethal than Agent Orange.

[EEGator]

Lol, it depends on transmission corridor vs distribution territory.
I’m quite familiar with PECO, PPL, MetEd…

[Chainmail]

Given my experience with Hawaiian expertise, the firefighters saying that "the fire was extinguished" is somewhat less than credible.

More likely, they spent an hour or so putting it out but got hungry and left without inspecting the site for any remaining live embers.

[alternatives?]

Who do you trust, government or a midsized corporation? The calculation has changed a lot in the last 20 years.

[Missouri gal]

Firefighters were called away to other fires around the island. That's from an eyewitness who was in close contact with Lahaina firefighters. Yes, grassfires are tricky.

[bgill]

Companies always pass their expenses on to their customers. Lawsuits won’t help the customers.

More at fault is the bozo who turned off the water and the cops who blocked the roads.

[Chainmail]

I've had an odd career in the Marines, in that I have fought fires (using my troops) all over: Massive brush fires at Camp Pendelton, range fires in Oklahoma and Hawaii (Pokakuloa), big tree fires in Washington State - that last one with a 500-man battalion.

It would seem to me that they should have prioritized any fires near populated areas.