Hawaiian Electric Denies Maui Lawsuit Claims About Cause of Wildfire, Shares Surge

Hawaiian Electric Denies Maui Lawsuit Claims About Cause of Wildfire, Shares Surge
Burned debris after wildfires devastated the historic town of Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii, on Aug. 10, 2023. Hawai'i Department of Land and Natural Resources/Handout via Reuters
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Hawaiian Electric’s shares jumped nearly 40 percent on Monday after the electric utility said it was not responsible for the wildfires in Maui earlier this month, saying its power lines had been shut for hours prior to the deadliest blaze that devastated the island.

Maui County sued Hawaiian Electric last week, accusing the utility of negligently failing to shut off power and causing the devastating fires that destroyed the coastal town of Lahaina and killed more than 114 people.