Maui wildfire survivor ran barefoot on scorching street before almost drowning

August 10, 2023

Maui residents are reeling from the devastating wildfire that killed 36, with one man suffering second-degree burns on his feet and nearly drowning when he took cover in the ocean with his girlfriend — who is now missing.

Shawn Dougherty, of Lahaina, was among the hundreds of residents forced to flee the resort city when the wildfire began engulfing their homes.

Like others, Dougherty said his only means of survival was to jump into the ocean with his girlfriend, but while some found safety in nearby jetties, the rocks and coral tore up Dougherty’s body.

“At one point, it seemed like I might drown,” he told ABC News. “I’m a good swimmer, but the water was just really rough because of the wind and the turbulence.”

When a first responder told them to get out of the water, Dougherty walked, only to find the situation even worse on land.

“I couldn’t even make it across the street because the pavement was so hot,” he said. “And now I have second-degree burns on the bottom of my feet.”

Finding the pain unbearable, Doughtery stuck it out in the water until firefighters carried him out. However, he lost sight of his girlfriend in the chaos and has been unable to connect with her since.

“I’ve got to find a way to procure a phone so I can start making contacts with people and find my beautiful girlfriend,” he told ABC. “I’m so scared.”

Shawn Dougherty says he was burned on his feet and had to jump in the water to avoid the wildfire spreading in Lahaina, on Maui, Hawaii. — Shawn Dougherty lost sight of his girlfriend in the wildfire chaos and suffered second-degree burns on his feet from the pavement.

The city of Lahaina, in Maui, was burned to the ground after being consumed by the wildfires. — The Maui city of Lahaina was destroyed after being consumed by the wildfires.

Rachael Zimmerman said she was disorientated trying to leave the city with her partner and they abandoned their home on Front Street and are still unaware of the fate of all their neighbors. — Rachael Zimmerman said she was disorientated trying to leave the city with her partner, and they abandoned their home on Front Street and are still unaware of the fate of their neighbors.

A home is pictured burning on Front Street where Zimmerman fled.

‘The whole town is gone’

Doughtery was just one of many panicking to reach loved ones as communication services remain unreliable on the island.

Rachael Zimmerman, a fellow Lahaina resident, said the popular resort destination has been burned to the ground, reiterating the haunting words of her neighbors.

“The whole town is gone,” she told Fox News, crying. “We don’t know where a lot of people are.”

What we know about the Maui Wildfires

At least 36 people have died in the wake of the Maui wildfires that started late Tuesday.

“We’ve still got dead bodies floating on the seawall,” one Lahaina resident told Hawaii News Now. “They’ve been sitting there since last night.”

The wildfires, fanned by strong winds have burned multiple buildings, forced evacuations, and caused power outages in several communities.

The National Weather Service said Hurricane Dora was partly to blame for the strong winds that knocked out power as night came. About 13,000 residents in Maui are without power, according to reports.

People are rushing to the ocean to escape the smoke and flames fanned by Hurricane Dora.

Fire crews in Maui are battling multiple fires in the popular tourist destination of West Maui and an inland, mountainous region. Firefighters have struggled to reach some areas that were cut off by downed trees and power lines.

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The wildfires scorched the island of Maui over the past two days, with strong winds spreading the flames.

Cars abandoned on the roads were left to burn after traffic clogged up the roads. — Cars abandoned on the roads were left to burn.

Zimmerman said she and her partner ran out of their home on Front Street, only to be greeted by walls of smoke and unending traffic from others trying to flee the area.

Despite getting lost in the logjam, the couple drove out of the city, and avoiding their back-up plan, jumped into the water.

“Five minutes ago, I found out that my neighbor is alive, barely made it out, and it happened so fast,” Zimmerman said of the chaos.

On Thursday afternoon, President Biden approved a disaster declaration to deploy more than 100 National Guard troops and additional FEMA agents to Maui and to deliver federal aid to the devastated island.

Biden approved a disaster declaration to deploy federal aid to Maui.

The city of Lahaina was left in ashes on Thursday after the flames decimated the popular tourist resort.

“Our prayers are with the people of Hawaii, but not just our prayers, every asset we have will be available to them,” Biden said during an unrelated event. “They’ve seen their homes, their businesses destroyed and some have lost loved ones and it’s not over yet.”

Hawaii Gov. Josh Green said he has been in contact with the president and is working together with the federal government to ensure a prompt response to the island.

Along with the government aid, Verizon Wireless told CNN that it deployed portable mobile hotspots in Maui to restore cellular and internet services for thousands of people who lost signals after the fires destroyed local cell towers.