Hawaii s electric utility did not immediately respond to the first alerts of its power lines breaking before the deadly Maui fire last August, according to a new timeline report by the Hawaii attorney general s office, which noted lapses by multiple agencies in responding to what would become the deadliest fire in U.S. history.
HONOLULU (AP) As unpredictable wildfires roared across Maui last August, the head of the emergency management agency dragged his heels about returning to th
The state Attorney General’s Office report Wednesday included that the head of the Maui County Emergency Management Agency was off island and delayed returning despite the crisis and that a breakdown in communications left authorities in the dark and residents without emergency alerts.
Hawaiian Electric did not send a representative to check on fallen power equipment until hours after fire officials alerted the utility, the report says.