Officials in Maui have so far identified only five of the 106 dead following last week’s wildfires.
Currently, only two people have been named as victims by authorities: Robert Dyckman, 74, and Buddy Jantoc, 79. The names of the other three have not yet been released, as efforts are still being made to notify their families.
Several other victims have been named by friends and relatives, although they are not yet on the official register.
The slow rate at which casualties have been named highlights the difficulties rescuers face in identifying remains. Island officials have urged survivors missing relatives to provide DNA swabs to aid in the process.
Work continued as more images emerged Wednesday exposing the ferocity of the fires raging across Maui at speeds of up to a mile per minute.
A video recorded by tourists taking cover in a swimming pool to escape the fires shows huge flames engulfing the buildings that surrounded them
A video shot in Lahaina shows tourists taking cover in a swimming pool surrounded by buildings engulfed in flames. Thick clouds of smoke float around them, carried by gusts of wind from the passing Hurricane Dora, which contributed to the disaster.
The intense heat was enough to melt cars consumed by the fires, officials have said.
Jantoc was living in the Hale Mahaolu Eono senior complex when the fires swept through the city of Lahaina. His family learned from police that his remains were among the dozens found so far.
“My father was older, but having him taken from us like that is the hardest thing to deal with, I think,” granddaughter Keshia Alaka’i told KITV-TV. The family has also started a Facebook group dedicated to Jantoc.
Alaka’i said she talked to Jantoc almost every day.
(I will miss his calls for the crazy stuff. Buying things for him, ordering things online because he didn’t know how to work with it or you know, fighting with his iPhone because I bought him a new one, he didn’t know how he had to do that,” she said.
One of the first people confirmed to be among the dead was Carole Hartley, 60, of Mobile, Alabama, who had lived in Lahaina for the past 36 years.
Hartley is not among the victims named by authorities and, as with others independently named by friends and relatives, it is not clear whether search teams have found her remains.
She died after getting separated from her partner Charles Paxton, who managed to escape.
“The fire came quickly and they were loading a truck when the truck caught fire and exploded,” a friend wrote on Facebook.
Carole Hartley, 60, of Alabama, was among the first known to die in the wildfires
Hartley’s sister Donna said she was eagerly awaiting her retirement next year
Charles told Carole to run, run, run, and she did. It was noisy from the wind and the fires and they were breaking up. Charles was found safe in a shelter and is now safe with friends in Wailuku.”
Another fond victim was 68-year-old Franklin “Frankie” Trejos, who was described as a hero who died trying to help others and save his home.
He was found in the back of his car, his body covering that of his friend’s golden retriever, Sam, whom he was trying to rescue.
Kika Perez Grant, his niece, told CNN they received a call from Trejos’ roommate saying he was missing.
“We were keeping hope alive, but then his roommate called us again a few hours later to tell us he had found Uncle Frankie’s remains,” she said.
Trejos and his roommate – retired fire captain Geoff Bogar – first tried to save their property, but then decided to evacuate when they realized it was impossible.
“They both got into their own cars and tried to evacuate,” she said.
For some reason his roommate’s car wouldn’t start, so he crawled around until someone found him. He’s badly burned.’
Trejos was born in Costa Rica but moved to the United States at a young age, his niece said, and has lived in Lahaina for the past 30 years.
Franklin “Frankie” Trejos, 68, died trying to shelter Sam, a golden retriever. Both were found dead in a car
Clyde Wakida is pictured with his wife of 46 years, Penny. He died trying to save the house they built together 35 years ago
“Uncle Frankie was a nice man, a nature lover, an animal lover and he loved his friends and his families with all his heart,” said Perez Grant.
Clyde Wakida’s death was announced by his wife of 46 years, Penny.
She said he died after staying in the house they built together 35 years ago, and stayed in a desperate attempt to save it.
She was contacted by officials to say they found human remains on the property, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported.
Penny’s daughter, Lexa Hanohano, and Clyde’s sisters, Avis Wakida and Teri Young, are among those who provided DNA samples to aid in remains identification.
“He didn’t want to evacuate,” Penny said.
“He refused to go with me. He thought he could save the house. We know he’s dead.’
A family of four – Faaso and Malui Fonua Tone, Salote Takafua and her son Tony Takafua – died trying to flee the flames.
Faaso and Malui Fonua Tone were found dead in their car on Thursday as they tried to escape the devastating blaze that devastated much of Lahaina.
Also killed were Faaso and Malui’s adult daughter Salote Takafua and her son Tony
Their remains were found on Thursday in a burnt-out car near their home.
“The magnitude of our grief is indescribable,” a statement from family members read.
Lylas Kanemoto, who knew the Tone family, confirmed the devastating news on Sunday.
“At least we have closure for them, but the loss and heartbreak is unbearable for many. We as a community just need to embrace each other and support our families, friends and our community the best we can,” Kanemoto said.