Authorities in Hawaii have confirmed that the death toll from the deadliest U.S. wildfire in over a century has tragically risen to 102. The latest victim, a 68-year-old woman named Claudette Heermance, passed away in hospice care in Honolulu on March 28 due to injuries sustained during the devastating fire that ravaged the historic town of Lahaina on the Hawaiian island of Maui last year.
Dr. Masahiko Kobayashi, the Honolulu medical examiner, revealed that Heermance suffered burns on 20% of her body, which were further complicated by multiple other conditions. Despite being initially treated at Maui's hospital, she was later transferred to Oahu for specialized care at the state's only burn unit. Tragically, she eventually entered hospice nearly four months after the fire.
Aside from burn-related injuries, other causes of death among the wildfire victims included cardiovascular disease, end-stage renal disease, and pressure ulcers, as confirmed by officials from the medical examiner's office.
The catastrophic wildfire, which occurred on August 8, was already deemed the deadliest in the United States in over a century. The flames tore through Lahaina, destroying approximately 3,000 buildings and displacing 12,000 residents. The intensity of the fire left many residents unable to evacuate in time, with some resorting to jumping into the ocean to escape the advancing flames.
Notably, the victims of the fire spanned a wide age range, from 7 to 97 years old. However, more than two-thirds of the casualties were individuals aged 60 or older, according to the Maui police's list of known victims.
