Leroy N. Soetoro
2023-08-19 00:10:10 UTC
https://nypost.com/2023/08/18/maui-locals-accuse-fire-crews-of-allowing-
fire-to-restart/
Horrified Maui locals have questioned why a fire sparked by a downed power
line was left to restart and spread just hours after it was declared
contained claiming that lives could have been saved if crews hadnt
abandoned it so quickly.
Multiple residents in the now-devastated town of Lahaina say they
witnessed the moment flames started shooting out from the damaged
electrical system just after 6:30 a.m. Aug. 8, including one man who
filmed harrowing videos of the fire tearing down a hillside.
As the death toll rose to 111 as of Friday, the locals who say that
early morning fire played a part in sparking the deadliest US wildfire in
more than a century insist the blaze should never have led to so much
tragedy.
Why did they leave? Dominga Advincula, 55, said of the fire crews in an
interview with the San Francisco Chronicle.
If they could wait an hour or 30 minutes that small fire in the
afternoon? They couldve saved everybody else.
She added: Couldnt they just spare one truck for two more hours?
The Maui Fire Department had responded to reports of a brushfire in
Lahaina at about 6:37 a.m. that morning and ordered immediate evacuations,
local officials have said.
Residents say they called 911 after witnessing the downed power line
igniting the grass.
I heard buzz, buzz It was almost like somebody lit a firework, Shane
Treu, who filmed the dramatic videos, said of the moment the fire broke
out.
It just ran straight up the hill to a bigger pile of grass and then, with
that high wind, that fire was blazing, he continued. In a matter of
minutes, that whole place was just engulfed.
More than two hours later, at 9 a.m., Maui officials declared that the
fire had been 100% contained but warned that high winds would remain a
concern for the next 24 hours.
When Advincula and her husband returned to their home at about 10 a.m.,
she said, they recalled seeing some firefighters still spraying some
hotspots on the hillside.
An hour after the remaining fire crews left the scene between 1 p.m. and 2
p.m., Advincula said, she spotted smoke rising from behind a neighbors
home.
Theres the smoke again! the mom recalled saying before she and her
family immediately evacuated.
County officials later explained that an apparent flareup of the fire
unfolded around 3:30 p.m. after firefighters had already left to help
battle fires in other parts of the island.
The deadly blaze went on to destroy nearly every building in the town of
13,000.
Hawaii Fire Fighters Association labor union president Bobby Lee told the
Honolulu Civil Beat that most firefighters wound up battling blazes about
an hour away in Upcountry and southern Maui.
But when you look at what was going on, it looks like they were tapped
out, Lee said. They were overwhelmed. Youve got only so many
resources.
Advincula, whose home was spared, and her neighbors have since questioned
why the fire crews left the scene so quickly given they warned that high
winds posed a threat.
Maui authorities still havent revealed an official cause for the
devastating blaze more than a week after the inferno wreaked havoc.
It comes as the head of Mauis Emergency Management Agency resigned
Thursday, just one day after he defended his controversial decision not to
activate the island-wide alarm system as the wildfires ripped across the
island.
Chief Herman Andaya stepped down citing health reasons, Mayor Richard
Bissen said.
With Post wires
--
We live in a time where intelligent people are being silenced so that
stupid people won't be offended.
Durham Report: The FBI has an integrity problem. It has none.
No collusion - Special Counsel Robert Swan Mueller III, March 2019.
Officially made Nancy Pelosi a two-time impeachment loser.
Thank you for cleaning up the disaster of the 2008-2017 Obama / Biden
fiasco, President Trump.
Under Barack Obama's leadership, the United States of America became the
The World According To Garp. Obama sold out heterosexuals for Hollywood
queer liberal democrat donors.
President Trump boosted the economy, reduced illegal invasions, appointed
dozens of judges and three SCOTUS justices.
fire-to-restart/
Horrified Maui locals have questioned why a fire sparked by a downed power
line was left to restart and spread just hours after it was declared
contained claiming that lives could have been saved if crews hadnt
abandoned it so quickly.
Multiple residents in the now-devastated town of Lahaina say they
witnessed the moment flames started shooting out from the damaged
electrical system just after 6:30 a.m. Aug. 8, including one man who
filmed harrowing videos of the fire tearing down a hillside.
As the death toll rose to 111 as of Friday, the locals who say that
early morning fire played a part in sparking the deadliest US wildfire in
more than a century insist the blaze should never have led to so much
tragedy.
Why did they leave? Dominga Advincula, 55, said of the fire crews in an
interview with the San Francisco Chronicle.
If they could wait an hour or 30 minutes that small fire in the
afternoon? They couldve saved everybody else.
She added: Couldnt they just spare one truck for two more hours?
The Maui Fire Department had responded to reports of a brushfire in
Lahaina at about 6:37 a.m. that morning and ordered immediate evacuations,
local officials have said.
Residents say they called 911 after witnessing the downed power line
igniting the grass.
I heard buzz, buzz It was almost like somebody lit a firework, Shane
Treu, who filmed the dramatic videos, said of the moment the fire broke
out.
It just ran straight up the hill to a bigger pile of grass and then, with
that high wind, that fire was blazing, he continued. In a matter of
minutes, that whole place was just engulfed.
More than two hours later, at 9 a.m., Maui officials declared that the
fire had been 100% contained but warned that high winds would remain a
concern for the next 24 hours.
When Advincula and her husband returned to their home at about 10 a.m.,
she said, they recalled seeing some firefighters still spraying some
hotspots on the hillside.
An hour after the remaining fire crews left the scene between 1 p.m. and 2
p.m., Advincula said, she spotted smoke rising from behind a neighbors
home.
Theres the smoke again! the mom recalled saying before she and her
family immediately evacuated.
County officials later explained that an apparent flareup of the fire
unfolded around 3:30 p.m. after firefighters had already left to help
battle fires in other parts of the island.
The deadly blaze went on to destroy nearly every building in the town of
13,000.
Hawaii Fire Fighters Association labor union president Bobby Lee told the
Honolulu Civil Beat that most firefighters wound up battling blazes about
an hour away in Upcountry and southern Maui.
But when you look at what was going on, it looks like they were tapped
out, Lee said. They were overwhelmed. Youve got only so many
resources.
Advincula, whose home was spared, and her neighbors have since questioned
why the fire crews left the scene so quickly given they warned that high
winds posed a threat.
Maui authorities still havent revealed an official cause for the
devastating blaze more than a week after the inferno wreaked havoc.
It comes as the head of Mauis Emergency Management Agency resigned
Thursday, just one day after he defended his controversial decision not to
activate the island-wide alarm system as the wildfires ripped across the
island.
Chief Herman Andaya stepped down citing health reasons, Mayor Richard
Bissen said.
With Post wires
--
We live in a time where intelligent people are being silenced so that
stupid people won't be offended.
Durham Report: The FBI has an integrity problem. It has none.
No collusion - Special Counsel Robert Swan Mueller III, March 2019.
Officially made Nancy Pelosi a two-time impeachment loser.
Thank you for cleaning up the disaster of the 2008-2017 Obama / Biden
fiasco, President Trump.
Under Barack Obama's leadership, the United States of America became the
The World According To Garp. Obama sold out heterosexuals for Hollywood
queer liberal democrat donors.
President Trump boosted the economy, reduced illegal invasions, appointed
dozens of judges and three SCOTUS justices.