Hawaii Electrical Industries (New York Stock Exchange: Yes) said Friday it was not responsible for the deadly fire that destroyed the historic city of Lahaina, and Maui County should take responsibility, Bloomberg News reported. The utility filed a countersuit alleging that the local… The government neglected to clear vegetation, did not adequately plan for the emergency and mishandled the emergency response to the August 8 fire. Hawaii Electric previously admitted that its equipment started a fire near the city and firefighters extinguished it. In the countersuit, it claims that first responders who said they extinguished the fire had abandoned the scene, where a fire broke out that afternoon and swept through Lahaina. As a result of the county's lack of preparedness, poor emergency procedures, and a deliberate and reckless decision to leave the vicinity of the first fire, according to the lawsuit.))>
