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27 January 2024

Last of the 100 known victims in deadly Hawaiian wildfire indentified by police

27 January 2024

Officials in Hawaii have identified the last of the 100 known wildfire victims that destroyed Lahaina in August.

Hawaiian officials said on Friday that they have now identified the last of the 100 known victims, with Maui police confirming her to be Lydia Coloma, aged 70.

Victims ranged in age from seven to 97, but more than two-thirds were in their 60s or older, according to Maui police’s list of known victims.

Several were residents of a low-income senior apartment complex.

Identifying those who perished in the deadliest wildfire in the US in more than a century has been a lengthy process, with forensic experts and cadaver dogs sifting through ash for any bodies that may have been cremated during the blaze.

Authorities also had to collect DNA samples from victims’ family members to assist in identifying remains.

The DNA testing allowed officials in September to revise the death toll down from 115 to at least 97.

The toll rose slightly over the next month as some victims succumbed to their injuries or as police found additional remains.

The number of those who remain unaccounted for has also fallen — to just a few from a previous high of nearly 400, according to the Maui Police Department.

The police department’s list only includes people with a missing person report filed for them.

The blaze destroyed more than 2,000 buildings, primarily residential properties, and is estimated to have caused 5.5 billion dollars (£4.3 billion) in damage.

About 5,000 residents remain displaced due to the wildfire, with many still living in hotels or other short-term accommodations around Maui.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

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