Breaking: Maui firefighter hospitalized in critical condition after being swept in storm drain

The County of Main issued a statement on Friday evening after a Maui firefighter was swept by flood waters down a storm drain while responding to flooded residences in South Maui.

County officials issued the following statement following the incident:

This afternoon a County of Maui firefighter responding with a crew to flooded residences in Kīhei was caught in a 4-foot-wide storm drain and was carried by storm waters approximately 800 yards to where the drain emptied into the ocean. Firefighters and emergency personnel were able to retrieve the firefighter from the shoreline.

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The firefighter was transported to Maui Memorial Medical Center in critical condition and remains under the care of physicians. Tonight the firefighter remains in critical condition.

Fire Chief Brad Ventura and Mayor Richard Bissen, Jr., immediately went to the hospital’s emergency room this afternoon to offer support to firefighters and family members who were there. We are focused on supporting the firefighter’s family and ask that our community join us in prayers for his recovery.

No additional details are available at this time. The incident will undergo a review by the department.

–Mahina Martin, Chief of Communications and Public Affairs

*This is a developing story and updates will be posted as they become available.