Family of veteran missing in devastating Maui wildfires clings to hope he escaped the blaze

Kim Berly tells The Independent that she is worried her 79-year-old father Maurice Buen was caught in the Lahaina fire

The family of a Korean War veteran is desperately searching for him after they lost contact with him amid the devastating wildfires in Hawaii.

Authorities in fire-scorched Maui County have confirmed at least 67 fatalities, as the largest blaze, still raging in Lahaina, is now 80 per cent contained. More than 1,000 people are still unaccounted for in what is believed to be the deadliest disaster in the state’s history, Governor Josh Green said during a press conference on Thursday night, warning that the death toll is expected to climb.

State and federal agencies are scrambling to assist endangered residents and hundreds of families across the country have been unable to locate their loved ones due to cell phone service being down.

Kim Berly told The Independent that she is worried her 79-year-old father Maurice Buen, who lives on Wainee St in Lahaina, was caught in the fire. Ms Berly said she last spoke with Mr Buen on Sunday and is now clinging to hope that he made it out of the blaze.

“I didn’t know about the fire until Wednesday morning when all my news alerts started going off,” Ms Berly said. “I tried calling and again straight to [voicemail]. So I texted him and still no reply.”

Ms Berly said his father, who was a trained sniper during the Korean War and will turn 80 next month, is known to locals as “Shadow.” She said she had been in contact with acquaintances looking for him but her communication with them was hindered by restricted travel and limited cell service.

Brittany Talley told CNN that her 66-year-old veteran grandfather Timm “TK” Williams Sr was also among the more than 1,000 missing as of Thursday.

Just moments before losing contact with his family, Mr Williams Sr, who uses a wheelchair and crutches, sent a picture of the flames closing in on him as he attempted to evacuate.

The family of Maurice Buen, 79, say that they have been unable to locate him (Kim Berly)

“He was attempting to make it to a shelter, but all of the roads were blocked,” Ms Talley said. “​He would not be able to run or move quickly if needed to.”

Mr Williams’ daughter Nikki White wrote in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, that he was last seen in a white SUV as he drove away from the Kaanapali area while seeking shelter.

Timm Williams Sr is also missing after sending his family a picture of the flames closing in on him as he attempted to evacuate (Timm Williams Sr)

“Struggling to fall asleep. Not wanting to miss an alert, text or call that could lead to finding my dad. God please please keep him safe,” Ms White tweeted.

Maui Police Chief John Pelletier said Maui County had launched a family assistance centre in Kahului to assist families searching for relatives who may have been impacted by the fire. People can report their loved ones missing at the centre located at 275 Uhu St, or online.

Gov Greene acknowledged the widespread communication issues, noting that there was hope for families that their relatives are alive but currently unable to let them know they’re safe.

“​Here’s the challenge: there’s no power, no internet, no phone, no radio. You compound some of that. So when we’re speaking to our officers, we need them to get a phone,” he said on Thursday.

The fires have devastated the historic town of Lahaina and left more than 1,000 structures burned. Numerous people have lost their homes, while the town’s normally bustling tourist district is believed to have been destroyed.

Meanwhile, Maui County and state officials are continuing to launch efforts in the midst of what Gov Josh Green told the Associated Press is expected to be the worst natural disaster since 61 people died in a tsunami on the Big Island in 1961.