Breaking News: Maui Police Identify Additional Victims in Lahaina Fire Tragedy
In a devastating update on the Aug. 8 fire in Lahaina, Maui police have released the identities of three more victims. The victims have been identified as Joseph Lara, 86; Gwendolyn Puou, 83; and Edward Sato, 76, bringing the total number of identified victims to 48.
Since the fire broke out, there have been 115 confirmed deaths. Out of these, 48 have been identified, and the families of the victims have been notified. However, six victims have been identified, but their families have yet to be located or informed.
Despite search and recovery teams surveying 100% of the burned area, uncertainty remains as hundreds of people are still unaccounted for. It is unclear how many more fatalities will eventually be identified as the recovery efforts continue.
With the completion of surveying the burned area, the focus will now shift towards locating and identifying fire victims from fragments and ash. It is unlikely that further searches of the area will yield recognizable remains.
As of now, the official death toll from the Lahaina fire remains at 115 since Aug. 21. However, authorities are developing methods and procedures to identify bodies that have been exposed to high temperatures for an extended period, potentially through DNA sampling.
To aid in the identification process, the FBI has a validated list of names of those still unaccounted for. The list can be accessed on mauinuistrong.info/unaccountedfor. Authorities urge anyone with information on unaccounted individuals or who recognizes a name on the list to contact the FBI immediately.
This tragic incident has shaken the community, and efforts are underway to bring closure to the families of the victims. As recovery operations continue, we hope that further progress will be made in identifying and locating the remaining missing individuals.
