Hawaii wildfire death toll rises to 102 after woman determined to have died from fire injuries

HONOLULU (AP) — The death toll from the deadliest U.S. wildfire in over a century, which devastated the historic town of Lahaina on the Hawaiian island of Maui last year, has risen to 102, authorities said Monday.

Claudette Heermance, 68, died in hospice care in Honolulu on March 28 of injuries suffered in the fire. The Maui Police Department announced the death, citing information from the Honolulu medical examiner’s office.

Heermance suffered burns on 20% of her body and her case was complicated by multiple other conditions, said Dr. Masahiko Kobayashi, the Honolulu medical examiner.

She was initially taken to Maui’s hospital the day of the fire but was flown to Oahu the next day to be treated at the state’s only burn unit. She entered hospice nearly four months later.

Other causes of death included cardiovascular disease, end-stage renal disease and pressure ulcers, said another official from the medical examiner’s office who refused to give her name.

The Aug. 8 wildfire was already the deadliest to hit the United States in over a century. The flames tore through the historic town of Lahaina, incinerating some 3,000 buildings and displacing 12,000 residents.

Many weren’t able to get out in time to escape the blaze. Some jumped in the ocean to seek refuge from the flames.

Officials confirmed the 101st death in February.

The fire victims ranged in age from 7 to 97, but more than two-thirds were in their 60s or older, according to the Maui police’s list of known victims.