Maui wildfires: As death roll rises, find out how one family survived the lethal flames

Tee Dang and her husband were in a rental car with their three children - ages 5, 13 and 20 - when they realised they were ‘corned in’ by approaching flames. They were on Lahaina’s Front Street, the BBC reports, as several other vehicles around them were starting to catch fire.

They had no choice but to run

Having watched others make a break for the ocean, including an assisted elderly woman, they decided to do the same. They grabbed their food, water and phones and ran towards the water as the flames continued to burn up the street around them.

At first, the family stayed close to shore but as the tide rose, the waves began slamming Tee Dang into the rock wall of the harbour which caused some severe cuts on her leg.

As the fire grew larger, it started to devour the cars lining the front street. These started to explode, sending hot debris into the water. As chunks of ‘over 50’ cars started landing close to the family, they were forced to swim further out.

One of the children fainted

The family were in the sea for nearly 4 hours as the afternoon sky turned black with wildfire smoke. Tee Dang reports that one of her children fainted in the water. The whole family suffered burns.

Firefighter rescue

As the fourth hour drew in, the family were relieved to be part of the 15 survivors rescued by a firefighterwho directed them through the burning streets of Lahaina to safety. Tee Dang reports that the firefighter was brutally honest, telling the group:

I don’t even know if we’re gonna make it at this point. Just do everything I say. If I say jump, jump. If I tell you to run, run.

Lahaina served as a major whaling port so many of the buildings are wooden; the fire took hold and spread very quickly. The family were at first taken to shelter in a prep school but had to be moved twice.

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The family return home, shaken up, but safe

The Dang family eventually managed to get to the airport, where they boarded a plane heading to their hometown of Kansas.Thousands of other tourists are being moved off Maui to safety as the death toll climbs to 53.

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Sources used:

The BBC: Maui fires: Survivors describe harrowing escapes from the flames