Police Officials Will Begin to Release Names of Maui Wildfire Victims
On Tuesday officials will start releasing the names of those killed by the Lahaina wildfire if their families have been notified. The death toll rose to at least 99 people and the governor says that number is all but certain to keep climbing.
Transcript
00:00 Tomas, thank you. We begin in Maui. Officials will start releasing the names of those killed by the Lahaina wildfire today if their families have been notified.
00:08 Overnight, the death toll rose to at least 99 people and the governor says that number is all but certain to keep climbing.
00:14 Here's ABC's Morgan Norwood.
00:16 This morning, a grim message from Hawaii's governor as the death toll from the deadliest wildfire in more than a century continues to grow.
00:25 It's going to be emotionally catastrophic. I understand that people want numbers. It's not a numbers game.
00:31 It's not just ash on your clothing when you take it off. It's our loved ones.
00:38 And with hundreds still unaccounted for, officials are urging survivors to provide DNA samples to help identify the dead.
00:46 Overnight, a vigil was held for Joe Schilling. His family says he died a hero trying to help his elderly neighbors escape the flames.
00:55 These photos, the last they received from him, showing homes going up in flames.
01:00 Always, if there isn't anybody in the family or who knew Joe, that would be surprised that he would put himself at risk to help somebody else.
01:12 Denny Ueckert survived, but as he was stuck in traffic with the smoke and flames bearing down on him, he didn't know if he would make it out alive.
01:20 You can feel the heat off the traffic.
01:22 Denny recording a message to his family, fearing the worst.
01:26 My dad, my mom, my son David, I love you all.
01:32 Firefighter Ina Kohler was on the scene as the flames took over Lahaina.
01:37 Were there moments when you feared for your life?
01:40 Yeah, a few.
01:42 She and her colleagues desperately working to save homes, even as their own, burned to the ground.
01:47 Ina says she and her husband are among the 17 of 18 firefighters who lived in Lahaina and lost their homes.
01:54 And now, residents in Lahaina and Kula have been advised not to drink or even boil water because of what could be in it.
02:01 But around the island, scenes of hope.
02:03 At least six donation centers have sprung up organically.
02:06 Local community members coming together to help those who have lost everything.
02:11 We have delivered over one million pounds of food, water and supplies to the Lahaina community.
02:17 Morgan Norwood, ABC News, New York.