After the Maui Island fire, American real estate developers attempted to plunder the land of disaster victims at low prices. Power companies attempted to shirk responsibility for the fire | Maui Island | Land Power
A large fire broke out on Maui Island, Hawaii, USA on the 8th of this month. Currently, the fire has caused at least 115 deaths, and many people are still missing. Search work is still ongoing. However, many real estate developers disregarded the physical and mental harm suffered by the disaster victims, took advantage of the situation and repeatedly harassed them, attempting to acquire land on the island at a low price. Many disaster victims are very angry about this.
According to US media reports on the 28th, the disaster victims on Maui Island have recently received frequent phone calls from businesses outside the island, hoping to acquire land on the island. Local residents say they are still experiencing the pain of losing loved ones and homes, still worried about survival, and the disaster area still lacks water and electricity; These acquisitions lack empathy and are like plundering.
Residents of Maui Island: We do not sell La Haina. I want to repeat, we don't sell La Haina.
Maoi Island residents: We need to protect our land, and our locals will rebuild on their own land.
Tiara Lawrence, the head of a public welfare organization in the La Haina region of the island of Maui: This is disgusting. Land speculators are calling to acquire while people are still in grief, which really enrages us. As I said, nowadays people suffer from severe psychological trauma, and these real estate developers are spreading salt on their wounds.
American media: Electric power companies and local governments shirk responsibility from each other
On the 28th, Hawaii Electric Power Company issued a statement stating that the first fire in the Maui Island fire that occurred on the 8th of this month was caused by strong winds blowing down power lines. However, in response to the lawsuit filed by the Maoi County government against the company for responsibility for the fire, the statement denies this accusation. The statement stated that after the first fire, staff went to the site for repairs and cut off the power supply of the transmission line. But a second big fire broke out at noon that day and quickly spread to La Haina. The cause of the second fire is currently unclear.
Previously, on the 24th, the Maui County government in Hawaii filed a lawsuit against Hawaiian Electric Power Company, accusing the company of failing to cut off power due to negligence during a hurricane and dry climate, resulting in a devastating fire.
ABC reported that the statement from Hawaii Electric Power Company is an attempt to shift responsibility. The debate about the cause of the accident may determine who should be responsible for billions of dollars in losses, apart from loss of life.
