Hawaiian Electric Utility Faces Class Action Over Maui Wildfire

WAILUKU, Hawaii — A class action was filed against Hawaii’s largest electric utility, Hawaiian Electric Industries, alleging that the company’s failure to deenergize powerlines caused the devastating Lahaina fire in Maui.

In an Aug. 14 complaint filed in the Hawaii Circuit Court, 2nd Circuit, plaintiffs allege Hawaiian Electric and co-defendants Hawaiian Electric Industries, Hawai'i Electric Light Co., and Maui Electric Co. were warned about the extreme threat of wildfires but either left the powerlines energized or, after deenergizing them, re-energized them too soon.

Winds from Hurricane Dora caused trees to crash into the defendants' powerlines, which toppled on either August …