Maui County is suing Hawaii's electricity company over the deadly fire that levelled Lahaina, alleging the destruction could have been avoided if power lines had been shut off.
The lawsuit is the latest step in a growing critical focus on the power provider in the wake of the blaze, which killed at least 115 people. Videos apparently show downed cables setting light to vegetation in the hours before tragedy struck.
The lawsuit says there was plenty of warning of strong winds from a nearby hurricane, but Hawaiian Electric and its subsidiaries negligently kept power lines live.
"These power lines foreseeably ignited the fast-moving, deadly and destructive Lahaina Fire, which completely destroyed residences, businesses, churches, schools and historic cultural sites," the lawsuit, filed Thursday, says.
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