AP Phot/ Jae C Hong
Maui officials have filed a lawsuit against major cell carriers, alleging negligence during last summer's deadly wildfires. The lawsuit claims that if emergency responders had known about widespread cellphone outages during the wildfires, they would have used alternative methods to warn residents. Despite alerts sent by the county, cellphone users never received evacuation warnings due to the outages.
During the wildfires, which devastated parts of Maui, emergency responders attempted to alert residents through various means, including direct text messaging to cellphones. However, it was later discovered that all 21 cell towers serving West Maui, including in the town of Lahaina, had experienced total failure.
The lawsuit alleges that major cell carriers, including Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile USA, Spectrum Mobile, and AT&T, failed to properly inform Maui police of the widespread service outages. Maui County officials argue that if the cell carriers had accurately reported the extent of the outages, they would have employed different methods to communicate the emergency warnings to residents.
T-Mobile responded to the lawsuit, stating that while they sympathize with the Maui community, they believe the claims are baseless. The company asserts that they broadcasted wireless emergency alerts to customers when sites remained operational, promptly sent outage notifications, and contacted state and local emergency agencies and services.
Meanwhile, a representative from Spectrum declined to comment, and the other carriers did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The lawsuit is part of a series of legal actions following the deadly wildfires that swept through Maui, resulting in the loss of 101 lives. Maui County faces multiple lawsuits over its emergency response during the fires, and it is also suing the Hawaiian Electric Company for allegedly failing to shut off power despite high winds and dry conditions.
In its latest legal action, Maui County's lawyers argue that if the county is found liable for damages, the conduct of the cell carriers substantially contributed to those damages. The lawsuit highlights the importance of accurate reporting of service outages by cell carriers to ensure effective emergency response measures.
The lawsuit emphasizes the critical role of communication during emergencies and the need for collaboration between cell carriers and local authorities to ensure the safety of residents. It calls for accountability from the cell carriers in reporting service outages and warns of the consequences of inadequate communication during disasters.
Overall, the lawsuit underscores the challenges faced by communities during natural disasters and the importance of reliable communication infrastructure in emergency response efforts.
