A wildfire tore through the heart of the Hawaiian island of Maui in darkness Wednesday, reducing much of a historic town to ash and forcing people to jump into the ocean to flee the flames. At least six people died and dozens were wounded. FOX13
, destroying parts of a centuries-old town and killing at least 36 people in one of the deadliest U.S. wildfires in recent years.leaving behind burned-out cars on once busy streets and smoking piles of rubble where historic buildings had stood in Lahaina Town, which dates to the 1700s and has long been a favorite destination for tourists. Crews battled blazes in several places on the island Wednesday, and the flames forced some adults and children to flee into the ocean.
Kawaakoa, 34, grew up in the apartment building, called Lahaina Surf, where his dad and grandmother also lived. As the fires rage, tourists were advised to stay away. About 11,000 visitors flew out of Maui on Wednesday, with at least another 1,500 expected to leave Thursday, according to Ed Sniffen, state transportation director. Officials prepared the Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu to take in the thousands who have been displaced.
"It’s horrifying. I’ve flown here 52 years and I’ve never seen anything come close to that," said Richard Olsten, a helicopter pilot for a tour company. "We had tears in our eyes." The Coast Guard said it rescued 14 people who jumped into the water to escape flames and smoke, including two children.Bissen, the Maui County mayor, said at a Wednesday morning news conference that officials hadn't yet begun investigating the immediate cause of the fires, but officials did point to the combination of dry conditions, low humidity and high winds.
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