A Lahaina woman is in critical condition after being caught in the horrific wildfires while trying to help her elderly landlady escape their home.
Physiotherapist Laurie Allen, 64, suffered burns on sixty percent of her body after fleeing the house she shared with her husband Perry and their landlady, who has not been named.
Authorities have confirmed that 36 people died in the blaze, but the death toll is expected to rise dramatically as officials continue to assess the devastation in Maui and Lahaina. Hundreds remain missing.
Laurie was rushed to Straub Hospital in Oahu and remains in critical condition in their ICU burn unit Thursday afternoon, according to a GoFundMe set up by her sister-in-law.
The fundraiser also hopes to raise money for Laurie and Perry, 61, to find a new home after they lost the $1.3 million property they were renting in the fire.
Physiotherapist Laurie Allen, 64, suffered burns on sixty percent of her body after fleeing the couple’s home close to the coast
Allen’s house was in the red circled area. Lahaina’s famous oldest tree – which was destroyed – and the courthouse are depicted in the foreground of this photo
Penny Allen-Hood, Perry’s sister, wrote on the page, “We are praying that by the time Laurie is released from Straub Hospital, our collective gift will be sufficient to provide the miracle of a home after the fires that ravaged Lahaina.” have ravaged.
Perry asks for our prayers. I ask that we put ‘feet to our compassion’ by donating to this couple whose life in paradise has just been destroyed.
“La has burned more than 60% of her body, so her condition remains critical. I’m told she waited so long to evacuate because she helped their elderly landlady escape.’
So far, more than $13,000 dollars has been raised against the $30,000 goal as the true level of devastation on the island becomes clearer.
Hundreds of residents and tourists remain missing, with aerial photos showing the island’s coast completely ablaze from the relentless wildfire.
British musician Mick Fleetwood is ‘devastated’ after his restaurant – close to where the Allens live – was razed to the ground.
The Fleetwood Mac frontman opened Fleetwood’s on Front Street in 2012 and said his number one priority is “the safety of our dear employees and team members.”
Aerial photos show the restaurant – famous for its beef wellington – was completely destroyed by the wildfires that raged in Maui for two days
Laurie was rushed to Straub Hospital in Oahu and remains in critical condition in their ICU burn unit, according to a GoFundMe set up by her sister-in-law
The fundraiser also hopes to raise money for Laurie and her husband Perry, 61, to find a new home after they lost the $1.3 million property they were renting in the fire.
Aerial photos show the utter devastation of Lahaina after wildfires burned through the small town
The Hawaii Department of Transportation confirmed Maui’s Kahului Airport is open, with thousands stranded trying to flee the island
In a statement, he said: “This is a devastating moment for Maui and many are suffering an unimaginable loss.
“On behalf of myself and my family, I share my heartfelt thoughts and prayers for the people of Maui.
“We are committed to supporting the community and those affected by this disaster in the days, months and years to come.”
Officials have yet to confirm the precise origin of the fire, but it spread quickly as it was fanned by the strong winds of Hurricane Dora.
Those gusts, coupled with Maui’s dry conditions and low humidity, spelled disaster for residents, many of whom escaped within seconds.
President Biden has also declared a major disaster in Maui County and ordered federal aid to aid state and local recovery efforts.
State officials are working with hotels and airlines to evacuate thousands of tourists to another island
Hundreds of residents are still missing after the fire, which swept through the small town on August 8
President Joe Biden has declared a major emergency in Hawaii, allowing residents and businesses access to federal funding
Relatives have been urged to contact the Red Cross and local hospitals in an effort to locate their relatives after lines of communication were cut due to the devastation from the fire.
Devastated relatives share a Google Doc to update each other on the whereabouts of their loved ones.
Maui firefighters and emergency services have been overwhelmed by the magnitude of the blaze in the historic city of Lahaina – where 800 acres of land and 271 buildings have been “decimated.”
State officials are working with hotels and airlines to evacuate thousands of tourists to another island.
The Hawaii Department of Transportation confirmed that Maui’s Kahului Airport is open, with thousands of people stranded trying to flee the island.
As the fires closed all the way to the coastline, frantic local residents jumped into the water in the harbor on Tuesday evening to escape the flames. Twelve people were rescued from the waves by boats.