Authors
Vasudha noticed the growing problem of mis/disinformation online after studying New Media at ACJ in Chennai and became interested in separating facts from fiction. She is interested in learning how global issues affect individuals on a micro level. Before joining Newschecker’s English team, she was working with Latestly.
Ruby leads editorial, operations and initiatives at Newschecker. In her former avatar at New Delhi Television (NDTV), India’s leading national news network, she was a news anchor, supervising producer and senior output editor. Her over a decade-long career encompasses ground-breaking reportage from conflict zones and reporting on terror incidents, election campaigns, and gender issues. Ruby is an Emmy-nominated producer and has handled both local and international assignments, including the coverage of Arab Spring in 2011, the US Presidential elections in 2016, and ground reportage on the Kashmir issue since 2009.
Claim
Massive blaze spreads through the streets in Hawaii, which is embattling wildfire.
Fact
Video dates back to June 2022, and shows a fire breakout in Ohio’s Cleveland.
More than 90 people have died, thousands rendered homeless, and over two thousand structures have been damaged due to the massive wildfires in Hawaii’s Maui. Multiple unverified images and videos have been flooding social media platforms since the start of the deadly inferno last week.
In the light of these wildfires, a video showing a blaze on streets has gone viral linking it to the massive fires in Hawaii. Newschecker found the claim to be untrue. The video, in fact, dates back to June 2022, and shows an incident that took place in Cleveland, Ohio.
Multiple Twitter users shared the 23-second-long-video allegedly to show the situation of streets in Hawaii.
Archived versions of such posts can be seen here, here, here, here and here.
Also Read: Hawaii Wildfires Caused By Laser Strikes? No, Viral Images Are Of Unrelated Events
Fact Check/Verification
On scanning through the comment sections of social media posts carrying the viral footage, we spotted multiple users pointing out that the video was in fact from Cleveland, Ohio and not Hawaii.
Taking a clue, we looked up the keyframes of the viral video on Google along with the keywords “Cleveland, Ohio,” and “fire.” This led us to a report by Storyful, dated June 21, 2022, carrying the viral footage, stating “A mulch fire spread in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, in the early hours of Saturday, June 18, likely caused by ‘careless smoking’ and strong winds, officials said…”
Additionally, snippets from the viral footage was also uploaded on YouTube channel ‘I’m From Cleveland’ on June 18, 2022, titled “The Flats On Fire In Cleveland, Ohio (June 18th, 2022).”
Also Read: Muslim Man Being Tortured By Haryana Cops? No, Unrelated Video Shared With Communal Twist
Further, a Facebook post by @envistaforensicsglobal, dated June 30, 2022, featured a longer version of the video, stating, “The mulch fire that occurred in Cleveland, OH last week, as seen in this video, reminded us that something as mundane as mulch can be a great fuel source…”
In the video, we spotted “Ernst & Young” written on the top of one of the buildings.
Taking a clue, we looked up “Ernst & Young, Cleveland” on Google Street View, and were able to locate the spot where the viral video was shot. The same can be seen here.
Displaying similar visuals, a report by Cleveland 19, dated June 18, 2022, stated, “According to Lt. Mike Norman with the Cleveland Division of Fire, approximately 20 “spot fires” broke out near the Punch Bowl Social.”
A Fox8 report on the incident stated “Cleveland fire investigators say it was actually a small fire that started in a mulch bed, and strong winds caused the flames and embers to then spread to other mulch beds. The story began to unfold just after 2 a.m., when customers and employees leaving bars and restaurants on the East Bank reported that no less than 20 mulch beds were on fire. “
Conclusion
Viral video allegedly showing a massive fire breakout on the Hawaiian streets is false. The video relates to a fire incident in Cleveland in June 2022.
Result: False
Sources
Report By Storyful, Dated June 21, 2022
YouTube Video By I’m From Cleveland, Dated June 18, 2022
Facebook Post By @envistaforensicsglobal, Dated June 30, 2022
Google Street View
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Authors
Vasudha noticed the growing problem of mis/disinformation online after studying New Media at ACJ in Chennai and became interested in separating facts from fiction. She is interested in learning how global issues affect individuals on a micro level. Before joining Newschecker’s English team, she was working with Latestly.
Ruby leads editorial, operations and initiatives at Newschecker. In her former avatar at New Delhi Television (NDTV), India’s leading national news network, she was a news anchor, supervising producer and senior output editor. Her over a decade-long career encompasses ground-breaking reportage from conflict zones and reporting on terror incidents, election campaigns, and gender issues. Ruby is an Emmy-nominated producer and has handled both local and international assignments, including the coverage of Arab Spring in 2011, the US Presidential elections in 2016, and ground reportage on the Kashmir issue since 2009.
