Lahaina is hit by RIOT as 100 people clash with police officers who reopen and then close the only road into the wildfire-ravaged city, boats burn down in town, hospices are deployed and the death toll reaches 67
Angry scenes unfolded on the road to Lahaina Friday as police reopened the artery for the first time since the devastating wildfires — and 100 people challenged officers trying to control access.
Footage shared on social media showed a long line of cars entering the fire-ravaged city after the road was cleared at noon.
People had to show either proof of residency in the West Maui area or proof that they stayed at a hotel in the zone.
But by 5 p.m., the road was closed in both directions and, according to police, distraught and angry residents caused chaos.
An officer told The Honolulu Star Advertiser that people parked along the highway and ventured into areas not yet considered safe, becoming “emotional” when police told them to leave the area.
A long line of cars pours into Lahaina on Friday after the road into town reopened at noon. Only those with proof of residency or hotels in the zone could enter
People walk through the apocalyptic scenes in Lahaina on Friday
Lahaina was devastated by the wildfire, with the much-loved 1800s wooden buildings going up in smoke
Another officer told the paper that a riot nearly broke out in Lahaina between about 100 people and officers.
Cars were allowed to leave at 6 p.m., but the road to Lahaina remained closed.
Maui County officials confirmed there was a disturbance and urged people to respect orders to avoid certain areas.
They said anyone found in a closed off area of the city could be arrested.
“The road to Lahaina was opened for local residents to provide medicine and supplies to their families who remain in homes on the west side and need such assistance outside the fire/biohazard zone,” the local government said in a statement.
Many people park on the Lahaina Bypass and walk to the Makai areas of the bypass, which has been closed due to hazardous conditions and biological hazards.
“This zone has been declared an authorized personnel only area by Mayor Bissen, and those caught inside this zone will be escorted out and may be arrested.
“This area is an active police scene and we must preserve the dignity of lost lives and respect their surviving families.”
The local officials asked people to understand that the police and other search and rescue teams needed time and space to do their job.
“Unauthorized access to these areas increases the danger to themselves and delays our operations as MPD and National Guard personnel must cease their searches and escort individuals out,” they said.
“If people continue to disobey orders, access to Lahaina will be closed again and only accessible to emergency services.”
The death toll from Tuesday and Wednesday’s fires rose to 67 on Friday.
Josh Green, the governor of Hawaii, warned those returning to their homes, “They will see destruction like they have never seen in their lives.”
Hawaii Governor Josh Green was seen in Lahaina on Friday assessing the damage
Members of the Hawaiian National Guard comb the devastated city on Friday
Rescue workers search the charred ruins of Lahaina, western Maui
Two people stand by a destroyed building in the town of Lahania on Thursday
The scorched city is photographed from the air. People jumped into the sea to escape the flames
Hospice workers served people and gave advice to those struggling to cope with the trauma of the destruction.
“If there is a clinical team that is prepared for this, I would say it would be our clinical team in hospice, and maybe teams that are in the emergency room because they deal with trauma and death on a daily basis,” says Kathleen Hogarty , director of promotions for Hospice Maui.
“So that’s not to say my team isn’t affected, but this is what they do for a living and they didn’t even ask, they just jumped (and said) ‘what can we do?’ And they do it out there.’
As the extent of the devastation became clearer and cadaver dogs searched for bodies, striking new photos showed how even boats in the harbor were ravaged by the blaze.
The burned-out hulls of the ships floated in the water on Friday, showing that nowhere was safe.
Many people jumped into the sea to escape the flames, and the US Coast Guard said they rescued 17 people who fled to the Pacific.
They also recovered a body.
The charred wreck of a boat floats off the coast of Lahaina
People dived into the ocean to try to escape the fires, but the waves even engulfed boats
The still smoldering rubble of a building in the Lahaina harbor
A partially submerged boat shell is seen off the coast of Lahaina, Maui
The Coast Guard has rescued 17 people from the ocean, but many more are feared dead
The docks and moorings were destroyed by the fire that ravaged Lahaina Tuesday and Wednesday
Waves crash Friday over a burnt-out boat lying in the waters off Lahaina
A whale watching boat is seen melted and twisted by the heat of the fires
The Port of Lahaina was destroyed by the fire
“They encountered casualties that were in the water and also on the seawall,” said Captain Aja Kirksey, the Honolulu section commander.
There have been no additional rescues since early Wednesday, she said.
Coast Guard resources — including three cutters and two small boat crews — patrolled the harbor for more than 15 hours looking for survivors, covering some 500 square miles, Kirksey said.
“The Coast Guard Sector Command Center in Honolulu has sent an urgent marine intelligence broadcast to all mariners signaling what we believe would be a mass rescue, resulting in a response from eight Good Samaritan vessels,” Kirksey said.
“Our crews responded very heroically.”