Survivors recount looting in Hawaii wildfire disaster

Local residents told Insider that it is difficult for them to access essential aid and that distressed residents are fending for themselves.

Survivors recount robbery in Hawaii wildfires photo 1 — Destroyed buildings burned down in Lahaina in the aftermath of a wildfire in Maui, Hawaii, US. Photo: AFP

“There were some police officers present. The military also had a small presence, but at night, people still faced robbers,” said Matt Robb, co-owner of a bar in Lahaina called The Dirty Monkey.

"Where is the support? I don't think the government and our leaders know how to handle this or what to do right now," the resident added.

The Honolulu Star Register reported a near-riot broke out between police and about 100 residents after police blocked the highway entrance to Lahaina, one of the hardest-hit areas on the island, preventing people from returning home to collect items from the fire.

Staff at The Dirty Monkey said they have been coordinating with local authorities and community members to organize and maintain the supply and delivery of essential medications such as insulin to families in need.

But as a small team with no formal training in emergency response, Robb and co-owner Alen Aivazian said they felt abandoned by local leaders, who they said failed to effectively communicate with community members about what was going on.

Robb said, “It’s strange when you have a truck full of water or other products, you’re trying to help people, and you get rejected. I think the cause is a lack of leadership and a lack of knowledge about how to address this problem.”

Kami Irwin, a Maui resident helping coordinate relief efforts at the Maui Brewing Company location in Kihei, said locals are working around the clock, going without sleep and organizing neighborhood patrols to help keep each other safe and find necessities like clean drinking water and medicine.

While Irwin said she was deeply moved by how Maui residents were stepping up their care for one another, she said she couldn't put into words the extent of the devastation caused by the fires, which she said had been exacerbated by a “lack of leadership” from local government officials.

Irwin said, "There are so many people missing and not yet found. It's a real nightmare you can't wake up from. It's beyond imagination."

Mai Anh (according to AFP)

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