LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Many people here in Southern Nevada have family, friends, or have even lived in Lahaina. We spoke with one woman who shares the terrifying moments of her family's escape from her childhood home lost in the fire.
The town of Lahaina is unrecognizable. The popular tourist destination is Maui now looks like a war zone.
Among the many buildings destroyed by fire, the home where Las Vegas resident Tricia Bumanglag was raised.
ABEL GARCIA: "When you take a look at what is left of your childhood home, what comes to mind for you?"
TRICIA BUMANGLAG: "Coming from the Philippines my mom had a lot of sentimental things that she has brought like pictures of us when we were little, I can see a lot of that just not being replaceable."
She showed me a photo with an area circled in red indicating where her home used to look like.
FULL INTERVIEW: On the Channel 13 Youtube page here, and included below:
Bumanglag says she is devastated by the loss, but thankful her entire family made it out alive.
ABEL: "Thankfully your family is ok, but for those who can't say the same how does that make you feel?"
TRICIA: "It's very tragic, devastating, heartbreaking."
Last Tuesday, the day the Maui fire broke out, was a nightmare that became a reality for Bumanglag.
She says her family in Lahaina told her there wasn't enough of a warning, and that because of Hurricane Dora their power was out, making it difficult to communicate with them.
Finally, she heard from her sister-in-law.
"I was up, I couldn't go to sleep, she called me crying and said that they made it out, that they were in Kihei that she was with my brother and my nephews, but she didn't know where my. Other brothers were, my mom, and my dad," Bumanglag said.
This was when she learned her brother had a near-death experience as he tried to escape the flames in his car.
"He made the decision a very smart decision to get out of the car and run because he saw how bad it was he saw a neighbor in one of the cars and he said you need to get out we need to run the flames are coming."
Bumanglag says while she now calls Las Vegas home, she feels the devastating impact in Maui. "Even if you move away you are always connected, especially here in Vegas."
