Severely burned woman who fled Maui forest fires on foot still dies after seven weeks | Abroad

A gofundme page which was set up for Laurie Allen and her husband Perry, announced the death. “Laurie passed away peacefully from us. Her heart was tired and she was ready,” her sister-in-law, Penny Allen Hood, wrote on the website.

Allen was one of more than 100 people killed in the wildfire that destroyed historic Lahaina on Maui’s west coast on August 8. The fire was the deadliest in the US in more than a century and destroyed 2,200 buildings, most of them homes.

The fire broke out when a power pole was blown over by strong winds, causing dry brush and grass to catch fire. After the fire was declared under control, it flared up again and swept through the city. Residents were warned too late or not at all because the sirens did not activate.

Allen, a physical therapist administrative assistant, was working from home when the fire broke out. She tried to flee in a car with several others, but was stopped by a fallen tree.

Allen got out of the car and ran almost a hundred yards across a field of burning grass. She ran into the arms of a police officer and a firefighter and was immediately taken to an emergency shelter. Despite several operations and skin grafts, her condition deteriorated in recent days. She was taken off life support on Friday, after which she died.

Seven weeks after the devastating fire, nearly 8,000 displaced people are still living in hotels and other accommodations around Maui. Without additional financial help, it is unaffordable for many residents to make their homes in the historic tourist town of Lahaina habitable again.

Hawaii Governor Josh Green estimates that 80 percent of the city has been lost. According to a preliminary estimate by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the reconstruction of Lahaina will cost around 5.5 billion dollars (more than 5 billion euros).