Gas grill explosion at Hawaii condo leaves 7 injured, 3 in critical condition
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(NEW YORK) — The Maui Police Department in Hawaii is investigating what led to a gas grill explosion at a Kaanapali Beach condo Thursday evening which left seven people injured.
The Maui Police Department, according to their statement, received reports of the explosion which took place at 2481 Kaanapali Parkway at approximately 6:15 p.m. and found seven people, from the ages 18 to 74, injured, ABC News’ Honolulu affiliate KITV reports.
Three of those seven people are currently in critical condition, and one had to be transported to the Maui Memorial Medical Center Emergency Room for further treatment, KITV said.
In livestream video obtained by ABC News, the explosion seemingly takes place in one of the middle floors of the condominium complex with beachgoers and other witnesses rushing toward the scene to help in the immediate aftermath.
Preliminary investigations suggest the explosion may have involved liquefied petroleum gas, commonly used for BBQs and, according to KITV, witness statements indicated there could have been a grill malfunction before the incident.
There are no further updates on the conditions of those involved and the public has been asked to avoid the area while first responders investigate.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
(LOUISIANA) — Police in Louisiana said Monday they are investigating the possibility that a sports reporter who had traveled to New Orleans to cover the Super Bowl may have been drugged before his death.
Adan Manzano, a reporter for KGKC Telemundo Kansas City and Tico Sports, was found dead in his hotel room in Kenner, Louisiana, on Feb. 5, police said. A cause and manner of death have not been released.
A woman who police said was seen going into Manzano’s hotel room hours before he was found dead allegedly had his cellphone and credit card in her home, according to the Kenner Police Department. The suspect — Danette Colbert, of Slidell, Louisiana — has been charged with property crimes, including theft and fraud-related offenses, police said.
Amid the ongoing investigation into Manzano’s death, police said Monday that while they are still awaiting toxicology reports, which are expected to take several weeks, “investigators are exploring all available evidence in this case, including the possibility that Manzano may have been drugged before his death.”
“Colbert has an arrest history that includes similar allegations involving drugging individuals to facilitate theft,” the Kenner Police Department said in a statement on Monday.
Since her arrest last week, the Kenner Police Department said it has been contacted by people “claiming to be victims or reporting suspicious deaths under similar circumstances.”
“All of these complaints will be referred to the appropriate jurisdictions for further investigation,” the department said.
Colbert was charged with robbery, access device fraud, illegal transmission of monetary funds, bank fraud and computer fraud in Jefferson Parish amid the investigation into Manzano’s death, police said.
Investigators are “working closely with forensic experts and the Jefferson Parish Coroner’s Office to determine whether additional charges may be warranted,” police said Monday.
Colbert remains in custody at the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center awaiting criminal proceedings, police said. It is unclear if she has an attorney.
Police are aware of two prior instances in Nevada and Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, in which Colbert was accused of drugging a victim and stealing his “access device cards and things of that nature,” Kenner Police Chief Keith Conley said at a press briefing last week.
“We’re going to let the evidence lead us to the end result and not speculate,” Conley said last week when asked whether they considered this a homicide investigation.
Surveillance video shows Manzano and Colbert at his hotel the morning of Feb. 5, police said. Colbert was seen leaving his room and coming back, then leaving again later that morning, police said.
Investigators have additionally identified locations where the two were seen together in New Orleans, police said Monday.
Investigators determined that Colbert used Manzano’s credit card at several stores in the New Orleans area, police said.
His cellphone and credit card were located inside her residence while deputies executed a search warrant and she was arrested on Thursday, police said.
KGKC Telemundo Kansas City remembered Manzano as a “true professional and a rising star.”
“We will deeply miss Adan and his passion for sports, and the contributions he made to the local community,” the station said.
(LOS ANGELES) — Even with flames still burning in parts of Los Angeles County, total insured losses from the wildfires this month are already estimated at more than $30 billion, according to Goldman Sachs.
The massive amount of damage dwarfs the previous record of $12 billion in insured losses caused by Northern California’s Camp Fire in 2018.
With over 15,000 structures already destroyed in the Palisades, Eaton and spate of smaller fires, according to state officials, some public insurance claim adjusters are warning that it may take years for claims to be resolved, and in some instances, homeowners may not have the coverage they thought they had.
A recent study from the University of Colorado Boulder of a 2021 wildfire in the state found that three-quarters of those who lost their homes were not fully covered for total losses.
As thousands of homeowners in Southern California file insurance claims to start the recovery process, they are meeting the one person who will determine how much the insurance company should pay for their loss — the insurance adjuster.
Each claimant is assigned an adjuster by the insurance company. It is the adjuster’s job to assess the damage, and in the case of the LA wildfires, prioritize the destroyed and severely damaged homes over those with minor damage.
California law requires that insurers immediately pay policyholders one-third of the estimated value of their belongings and a minimum of four months’ rent in the event they are completely displaced.
Gov. Gavin Newsom recently issued a one-year moratorium preventing insurance companies from canceling or issuing nonrenewals for homeowners in the neighborhoods or adjoining ZIP codes affected by the Palisades and Eaton fires.
After the adjuster assesses the damage, they will determine how much the insurance company pays out for the claim.
Those who file may be given a settlement offer on the spot, but Amy Bach, executive director of the non-profit consumer advocacy group United Policyholders, tells ABC News that homeowners should resist the temptation to sign on the dotted line right away.
She recommends asking insurers for a copy of the policy and studying it for details about what level of coverage can apply.
“Give your insurance company a chance to do the right thing, but don’t be a pushover,” Bach said. “Understand reality — your insurer is a for-profit business, and you need to be pro-active to recover what you’re owed in full. Get informed on your rights and your insurer’s obligations and be politely assertive.”
Experts say if an insurer tells a homeowner that something is not covered, they should get a second opinion, including getting independent valuations of the replacement cost of the home and possessions.
“Chances are the insurer’s adjuster will use a software program to calculate what they owe you,” Bach said. “Computers don’t repair and rebuild homes — contractors and subcontractors do. So, it’s what they will charge that matters.”
If the homeowner disagrees with the insurance company’s assessment, they can appeal the decision and hire a public adjuster for a fee, according to Bach.
The public adjuster’s second opinion may help when negotiating with the insurance company, Bach added.
Public adjusters can be found through the California Department of Insurance website, and if homeowners are not being treated fairly — they can file a complaint for free with the same department.
Bach suggests keeping detailed notes of all conversations with the insurance company and adjuster including the dates and times of speaking, the names of those representatives, and a summary of what was said.
She also recommends sending a follow-up email after every conversation to document the progress.
Even if affected homeowners are insured, experts also recommend applying for disaster assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
(NEW YORK) — As a deep winter chill begins to take over the northern half of the country, a new major winter storm will move across the U.S. this weekend into early next week.
The storm kicks off on Saturday as a mix of rain, snow and ice develops over the central Plains. The Kansas City, Missouri, area will likely see dangerously slick travel on Saturday evening as a wintry mix moves in.
The storm then follows Interstate 70 to St. Louis, where heavy snow and ice may strike from Saturday night through Sunday.
By Sunday, a number of cities from the Ohio Valley to the mid-Atlantic could be facing hazardous travel as the ice and snow moves east.
Meanwhile, in the South, thunderstorms with damaging winds and scattered tornadoes are possible from Houston to Memphis, Tennessee, on Sunday afternoon.
By Sunday night, snow could move into Washington, D.C., causing a dangerous Monday morning commute across much of the mid-Atlantic.
Baltimore and Philadelphia have the potential to see 6 inches or more of snow.
After the storm moves offshore, bitter cold air will move in behind it.
A portion of the polar vortex will likely trigger temperatures 10 to 25 degrees below normal for the eastern half of the U.S. by the middle of next week.
The wind chill — what temperature it feels like — could plunge below zero from the Midwest to the Northeast, and sub-freezing temperatures are forecast as far south as Florida.
