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Police confirm 70-year-old Filipina as the 100th fatality in 2023 Maui wildfire

1/27/24, 12:20 PM

A 70-year-old Filipina was officially listed on Friday (January 26) as the 100th fatality in the wildfire that devastated Maui island in Hawaii last year.

Previously listed as missing, Lydia Coloma, 70, is now officially in the tally of fatalities of the August 8 fire that destroyed a large area of Lahaina City in Maui island.

Coloma’s remains were among the four charred bodies recovered by arson investigators and policemen after the wildfire was contained.

She reportedly died together with her husband, Salvador Coloma and seven other relatives with Filipino descent. They were all trapped when the fire ravaged the city last year.

“It is with a heavy heart that the Country of Maui and the Maui Police Department confirm the following identity of a victim involved in the West Maui Wildfire incident. Our hearts go out to the families, friends and community affected by this devastating event,” the Maui Police said in a statement after confirming Coloma as the 100th victim.

Identifying the charred remains of the fatalities has been one of the most difficult tasks of the arson and forensic investigators that it took nearly half a year before Coloma was identified.

Reports have indicated that the wildfire was among the deadliest to hit the United States in over a century.

Most of the victims were trapped when warning sirens failed to go off, leaving many unaware of the grave danger they faced.

Hawaii’s electric utility had reportedly admitted its power lines triggered the wildfire.

However, Maui’s firefighters were also blamed for the large number of fatalities and injuries. The firefighters reportedly left the scene of the initial fire not knowing that a second wildfire was breaking out.

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