Death toll from Maui wildfire reaches 89, making it the deadliest in the US in more than 100 years

https://lemmy.world/post/3111476

Death toll from Maui wildfire reaches 89, making it the deadliest in the US in more than 100 years - Lemmy.world

How many more are missing?
1000 as of earlier today.
What a nightmare. Burning to death must be one of the worst ways to die.
I believe most of the victims in these kind of situations die of asphyxiation instead of burning to death. I thin it’s less painful, still a great tragedy.

It absolutely is.

If you recall from 9/11, many people made the decision to jump from those buildings, rather that get burned to death. And by “decision”, I mean something fundamentally primal, and not a rational human being weighing the odds.

The drive to survive is strong in us. Fire is I believe at the top of the hierarchy of motivators deeply woven into our brain to avoid.

As another poster said regarding this particular thread, those people very likely succumbed to smoke inhalation before being burned. Not a great comfort, but it sounds preferable to being conscious and aware when the fire closes in.

… I think it’s time to go look at videos of kittens and puppies now.