Identifying Victims of Maui Wildfires Will Take Weeks, Says Hawaii Governor

CNN
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Overview

Identifying those killed in the Maui wildfires will be “very difficult” and likely take weeks, Hawaii’s governor said Tuesday as the death toll climbed to 106 and families desperately waiting to hear about lost loved ones were asked to provide DNA swabs.

Genetics Team to Aid in Victim Identification

A genetics team will be coming in to help identify victims, Hawaii Gov. Josh Green told CNN Tuesday, as hundreds of searchers with cadaver dogs continued to comb through the ashes of what used to be homes and business incinerated by the deadliest US wildfire in more than a century.

Challenges in Identification Process

Identification is challenging because the remains are largely unrecognizable and fingerprints are rarely being found, Green said. So investigators need to develop DNA profiles from the remains and hopefully find matches, including from any DNA provided by relatives of the missing, officials have said.

Appeal for DNA Swabs

“We’re asking all of our loved friends and family in the area who have any concern to go get swabbed at the family support center so that we can match people genetically,” the governor said.

Slow Progress in Victim Identification

Only five of the 106 dead had been identified as of Tuesday afternoon, according to Maui County officials. Two were publicly named, and names of the other three will be announced when their families are notified, the county said.

Efforts by Families of Missing Individuals

Family members of missing people had provided 41 DNA samples, trying to see whether their loves ones are among the dead, county officials said.

Number of Missing People Unclear

Meanwhile, the number of people that remain unaccounted for is unclear, authorities say, relating to the fires that started spreading wildly August 8 and especially devastated the historic portions of Lahaina in western Maui.

Progress in Search Efforts

Authorities had gone through about a third of the search area as of Tuesday; the county put the figure at 32% while the governor said it was 27%. Green told CNN Tuesday he hopes “much of it will be done” by the weekend.

Potential Increase in Death Toll

But as the search expands, authorities fear the already grim death toll will only rise.

Survivors Share Harrowing Stories

A Family’s Escape to the Ocean

Tee Dang, her three children and husband were driving on Lahaina’s Front Street last week, trying to evacuate, when cars around them suddenly caught fire as flames advanced into the historic city.

The Desperate Measure of Jumping into the Ocean

The family, there on vacation, had to abandon their rental car and jump into the ocean to save themselves.

A Mother’s Fear as Her Daughter Fainted

Dang, who can’t swim, recalled her husband telling her that their only option was to get in the water.

The Gratefulness for Hawaiian Rescuers

“We opened the car to jump down. It was just like hot oven fire – flaming, blowing at us. We couldn’t breathe when we opened the car door,” Dang told CNN’s Erin Burnett on Tuesday.

Survival against All Odds

Then, their 5-year-old daughter fainted.

Community Support and Recovery Efforts

Offering Assistance to Affected Families

He paced around his property putting pieces of metal into piles on Tuesday. But he wasn’t alone for long.

Coordinating Aid in the Community

A crew of volunteers packed into pickup trucks pulled into his driveway offering to help. The group of locals told CNN they’ve been driving around Kula where little aid has arrived.

Resilience and Unity in the Community

“People out here call it coconut wireless. And coconut wireless has been very strong and has united together over this time,” said Jace Kennedy, a Kula resident who arrived to help Hart.