Hawaii wildfire victims spared from testifying after last-minute settlement deal

Nora Bulosan, right, and Hannah Tomas, Lahaina, Hawaii residents who survived the fire that devastated the town, comfort each other as they gather in hopes to get access to their home in Lahaina (AP/Jae C Hong)

Lawyers representing victims of a deadly Hawaii wildfire reached a last-minute deal averting a trial over how to split a 4 billion dollar (£3.2 billion) settlement.

The agreement means victims and survivors will not have to testify, reliving in court details of the massive inferno in Lahaina that killed more than 100 people, destroyed thousands of properties and caused an estimated 5.5 billion dollars (£4.4 billion) worth of damage.