MAUI, Hawaii -- Maui County is suing the Hawaiian Electric Co., alleging that its negligence led to the deadliest U.S. wildfire in the past 100 years. The county suffered an estimated $5.5 billion in damages from fires in Lahaina and Kula — and it says the deadly disaster was preventable.
The civil suit filed Thursday seeks a jury trial. It targets Hawaiian Electric, or HECO, and several related companies, seeking "punitive and exemplary damages" and to recoup costs and loss of revenue from the fires.
