Hawaii’s utility admits power lines sparked first Maui fire

Hawaii’s electric company claims that Maui officials rushed to judgment in blaming their downed power lines for sparking the massive wildfire that devastated the coastal town of Lahaina and left 115 dead.

Hawaiian Electric recognized its power lines started the first of two wildfires in Maui — but placed the ultimate blame on firefighters, who claimed the blaze was contained and left the scene before the second wildfire broke out.

The finger-pointing follows a lawsuit filed by Maui County blaming the utility for failing to shut off power despite high winds and dry conditions, ultimately leading to the catastrophic wildfires.

“We were surprised and disappointed that the County of Maui rushed to court even before completing its own investigation,” CEO Shelee Kimura said in a statement.

The utility said its power lines in West Maui had been shut down for more than six hours before the afternoon wildfires started in the area, calling the lawsuit filed against it by the county of Maui “factually and legally irresponsible.”

While the utility has placed the majority of the blame on Maui County, experts say the bare electrical wire used in the outdated power lines is a probable cause.

When the Maui County Fire Department responded to the blaze earlier this month, it reported it was “100% contained” and left the scene, Hawaiian Electric said.

When utility crews first arrived at the scene to make repairs, they did not find a fire, smoke or embers, but later noticed a small fire and promptly called 911.

The utility company rejected the basis of the Maui County lawsuit and reiterated that the cause of the afternoon fire has not yet been determined.

Videos showed that the wires that sparked the earlier fire were among miles of “obsolete 1960s standard” power lines that the utility left exposed to the weather and thick foliage, despite a recent push to either bury or cover them.

Sixty percent of the utility poles on West Maui were still down on Aug. 14, according to Kimura at a media conference — 450 of the 750 poles.

Hawaiian Electric is facing a spate of new lawsuits that seek to hold it responsible for the deadliest US wildfire in more than a century. 

The number of confirmed dead stands at 115, but local officials expect to see that number continue to rise.

With Post wires.