On August 14, 2023, Singleton Schreiber, a fire litigation firm, filed a lawsuit on behalf of an individual against Hawaiian Electric Industries (HECO), Hawai’i Electric Light Company, and Maui Electric Company, alleging that the utilities’ powerlines started wildfires in Maui, Hawaii.[1] The wildfires broke out in Lahaina in West Maui on August 8, 2023; as of August 17, at least 110 people have passed away due to the fires. Over 2,200 structures have been damaged or destroyed. The Maui Emergency Management Agency estimates rebuilding will cost $5.52 billion.

The lawsuit alleges multiple instances of negligence, trespass, and nuisance as contributing factors to the fires. According to the lawsuit, the utilities were warned of the threat of wildfires as early as August 6 but either left their powerlines energized or, after deenergizing them, re-energized them too soon. The complaint points to several factors contributing to the utilities’ “poorly made decisions,” including failure to maintain proper tension on power lines and failure to implement proper vegetation management.

[1] https://singletonschreiber.com/first-individual-maui-wildfire-lawsuit-against-utilities-filed-by-singleton-schreiber/