Musician among first identified fatality in Maui wildfires

Called by family as “Mr Aloha” Buddy Janitor regaled them with tales of his heyday as a bass guitarist playing alongside Carlos Santana and George Benson.

Authorities released the names of two people first identified as fatal victims of the Maui wildfires that killed at least 106 others.

Buddy Jantoc, 79, a professional musician who played in famous bands, was named along with Robert Dyckman, 74. Three others were identified but their names are being withheld until their families are notified.

Jantoc’s body was discovered at his home in a senior-living facility in Lahaina, the New York Times reported. “I’m hoping he was asleep,” his daughter-in-law said. “I hope to God he did not suffer.”

Read also: Wildfire-ravaged Maui has thousands of Filipino residents     

Relatives told the Times that he was known by family as “Mr Aloha” and regaled them with tales of his heyday as a bass guitarist playing alongside Carlos Santana and George Benson.

A slow and difficult search for victims followed the catastrophic fire, which destroyed the historic town of Lahaina within hours.

Twenty sniffer dogs trained to detect bodies have led teams on a block-by-block search of the wreckage, a 5sq mile (13sq km) area now filled with twisted metal and other debris.

Another 20 canine teams are expected to join the search, said Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) Administrator Deanne Criswell on Wednesday.