Miracle in Maui: SIXTY wildfire survivors were rescued from inside single house as death toll climbs to 106 and 1,300 remain unaccounted for
• The group, many of whom were unaccounted for, were found taking refuge in an isolated private residence where electricity and phone lines had failed
• Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen announced the miracle discovery before the death toll was revised to 106, with more than 1,000 people also still missing
• Hopes are fading that survivors will be found in Lahaina as the search continues
Sixty survivors of Maui’s devastating wildfires were rescued from a single house during the massive search operation.
The group, many of whom were previously unaccounted for, were found taking refuge in an isolated private residence where electricity and phone lines had failed.
Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen announced the miracle discovery before the death toll was revised to 106, with more than 1,000 people also still unaccounted for.
Authorities are now using the term ‘unaccounted for’ instead of missing because the lack of communications on the island has prevented some survivors from reaching out to loved ones to confirm they are alive.
‘We discovered yesterday that there was a family that was housing 60 people at a home… on the west side, and many of those folks were unaccounted for, and they’ve now been reunited with their families,’ Bissen said at a press conference on Monday.
Bissen didn’t offer further details about the group which were found.
Maui Police Chief John Pelletier said the group had ‘no phones, no internet, no power’.
