CNN —Hawaiian Electric Company said that power lines falling in high winds seem to have caused a fire during the early morning of August 8, but power lines in West Maui had been de-energized for more than six hours by the time a second afternoon fire began in the Lahaina area.
The company made the comments in a new response Sunday to a lawsuit filed by the County of Maui.
In a press release, HECO mentioned videos showing that power lines had fallen to the ground in high winds near the intersection of Lahainaluna Road and Hookahua Street at approximately 6:30am.
But that morning fire was declared 100% contained by the Maui County Fire Department by 9am, they said.
By the time the Maui County Fire Department arrived back on the scene, it was not able to contain that fire, and it spread out of control toward Lahaina, the release says.
Persons:
“ inexcusably, HECO, ”, John Fiske, “, Fiske, Shelee Kimura, ” Kimura
Organizations:
CNN, Hawaiian Electric Company, National Weather Service, Watch, Maui County Fire Department, Hawaiian Electric, Intermediate, ” CNN
Locations:
West Maui, Lahaina, County, Maui, Maui County