Residents of fire-ravaged Maui have described returning home for the first time since the city of Lahaina burst into flames this week, and have revealed the true scale of the disaster is far more devastating than first thought.
Longtime resident Todd Hudson was among the first to witness the aftermath of the deadly wildfire on Friday after delivering much-needed relief supplies to the historic town, where his daughter, her husband and their two-year-old child also live.
“It’s worse than you can ever imagine.” It looks like a war zone. “Everything’s gone,” he told in an exclusive interview.
Hudson spoke of the heartbreaking scenes as locals returned home on Friday for the first time since wildfires that have killed at least 55 people have reduced much of the historic city to a hellscape of scorched rubble.
Longtime resident Todd Hudson shared video footage of the destruction after returning to Lahaina for the first time since it was engulfed in flames
Gabrielle Longhi’s family home in Lahaina, which cost $4,000 a night, was known as the “Blue Sky Villa” and featured a custom-built meditation tower that miraculously withstood the fire
The resident shared heartbreaking photos showing the only building remaining of the luxury property after it was reduced to rubble
His daughter Alyssa Sullivan narrowly escaped death after fleeing in their car with her husband Kevin Sullivan and their two-year-old son Rome when their house caught fire just minutes after the drive.
Unfortunately, her sweet cat named Willow remains missing.
The blaze is the deadliest wildfire in the US since 2018 and also highlighted how ill-equipped the region was for a disaster of this magnitude.
Resident Gabrielle Longhi spoke out after losing her family home, which had been converted into a luxury rental property, and burned to the ground
“There was no warning. No sirens. No cellphone alerts. “Nothing,” said Hudson, who snapped extensive video of the aftermath while driving through the once-thriving tourist town.
‘People were left to their own devices.’ There was no place to go.’
“Nothing was done to prevent what happened,” he added, revealing that there are only one hundred firefighters on the island of Maui.
“When it happened there were no firefighters on site because they were fighting fires in other parts of the island, for example inland.”
Lahaina is home to many elderly people, and unfortunately, Hudson revealed residents at the retirement home may have been inside when the facility burned down.
“There were dozens and dozens of people who had no choice but to jump into the water, where they stayed for up to eight hours, waiting for help.” “Many more died than survived,” he said.
“We already have a tremendous housing shortage on the island,” said Hudson, who hopes the devastation will disrupt infrastructure and its protracted housing policies.
Gabrielle Longhi is heartbroken and angry at the same time. She said the city government has lagged behind in its response to the worst disaster in the city’s history.
“It was like Hurricane Katrina with dozens of bodies in the water.”
Gabrielle’s father, Bob Longhi, opened his famous Longhi restaurant on Lahaina’s Front Street in 1976, but the business unfortunately didn’t survive the fires
Todd Hudson with his wife Kathy Janosi Hudson. Hudson was among the first to deliver much-needed supplies to the historic town of Lahaina, where his daughter lived with her family in their fourth-generation home
A view of the charred remains after wildfires devastated the historic town of Lahaina, Maui on August 9
Dozens of people had no choice but to jump into the water, where they waited for help for up to eight hours
“I don’t feel like the real devastation is being told.” Nothing is there. It’s like dust. “The banks are gone.”
Gabrielle’s father, Bob Longhi, opened his famous Longli restaurant on Lahaina’s Front Street in 1976 and quickly became a well-known eatery on the island.
The popular spot burned down, and her family home became a $4,000-a-night luxury beach rental.
“My dad had the first open house on Maui where all the doors were open and there was a 65-foot lap pool by the ocean. “The ceiling in his bedroom rolled back so you could see the stars at night.”
“I get calls from so many past guests.”
“The meditation tower is miraculously still standing,” said Loghi, whose home in inland Kula remains at risk from another fire that broke out earlier in the week.
“I know every inch of this house. “I never thought that the last time I went there would be the very last time.”
“I’m really angry that the whole city burned down.” People said there was nobody to help. “Lahaina is the heart of Maui.”
“With all the tourism this island brings, you have to ask yourself where all the money is going.”
The natural disaster is on track to become the deadliest wildfire in recent US history
“The country is extremely dry and there are fires, there should have been an action plan.” Something has been done.
“There are so many taxes, but Maui has always been short on services, fire, police and medical care.”
“People have been complaining about this for years. There are no hospitals. You have to drive to the other side. Now the hospital is full. I’m so glad my father didn’t see all this.
“The governor finally called the National Guard.” Maui needed help long before it came.
“There are neighborhoods near Lahaina that haven’t burned down, but the people who live there can’t leave because if they do, they can’t come back.”
“They have no power.” No cell phone reception. They are running out of food and water.’
Several GoFundMe pages have since been created, including the Sullivan family holding their young son.