ÌìÃÀÊÓƵ

A House oversight committee will hold its first public hearing focused on the role of Hawaiian Electric in the Aug. 8 Maui fires.

High winds and the power failure caused many businesses in Lahaina to shut down the day of the fire, which reduced visitors and foot traffic on the streets of the town

The lawsuits are invoking a legal doctrine historically applied to wild animals, nuclear waste and explosives.

The outcome of numerous lawsuits will affect victims, shareholders and, potentially, 470,000 customers statewide.

Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who traveled to Maui earlier this month to witness the devastation, has vowed to get to the bottom of what happened when a wildfire destroyed much of the coastal community killing at least 115 people.

But the Public Utilities Commission so far is staying out of it, saying it doesn’t want to duplicate other efforts.

The complaint by the family of a deceased Lahaina resident is the first to name property owners like Kamehameha Schools and Maui County along with the electric company as defendants.

Republicans in the House have announced two separate investigations into the Aug. 8 fire that killed at least 115 people in Lahaina.

The White House said the money will improve service and limit damage during future events.

The utility’s timeline of events sought to shift attention to actions taken by Maui County on the day of the fire.