Maui Resident Loses Home, Children’s Schools in Wildfires: 'All [My Son’s] Favorite Things Are Gone'

"The whole town was on fire," Keao Shaw tells PEOPLE, adding that "it was just an inferno, black smoke everywhere"

Keao Shaw's home is gone. So is one of the boats for his charter boat business and both of his children's schools amid the deadly wildfires in Maui, Hawaii. It's of course tragic all around, but especially devastating for his 5-year-old son, who lost his bike, his surfboard and all of his favorite books.

"All [my son's] favorite things are gone," Shaw, 39, tells PEOPLE on Thursday. "But everything is replaceable. Everything is rebuildable — it's just going to take time."

Fires ravaged Maui this week, particularly the community of Lahaina, the Washington Post reported. As of Friday afternoon EST, at least 55 people are dead.

Shaw lived in a Lahaina neighborhood, he says, recounting the fire's quick progression. Earlier in the week, he noticed some trees fell down —  so he went to grab a couple chainsaws from a nearby valley to help his neighbors. When he came back, everything was burning.

“The whole town was on fire,” Shaw says. “It was just an inferno, black smoke everywhere.”

Related: Everything to Know About the 2023 Hawaii Wildfires, Including Ways to Help the Victims

His wife and two young children had decided to ride along with him when he went to fetch the chainsaws. The three stayed in the truck, while Shaw borrowed a bike to try to get to his home. Unfortunately, there was little visibility, and he was unable to make the journey.

“There was black smoke everywhere. You couldn’t see very far,” he recounts. “It just looked like if you went into there, you weren't coming out. And from what I understand, a lot of people didn't make it out.”

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"The fire was everywhere. It was up in the hills, it was down in the buildings, and [it was in] all the houses. It's all the way down to the beach," he says.  "People were running for their lives."

The next morning, the family tried again to make it to their home, but still couldn’t get back into town.

"There's just no way. From what I hear, it's still closed because they're still cleaning up bodies down there. And some parts are still on fire," he says. "My neighbor, who I rent a cottage to, she's an EMT. She worked 48 hours or more cleaning up and trying to take care of people. And [there were] lots of firemen down there, but the fire was just too much, and there was too much wind."

Related: Oprah Winfrey Makes Donations and Helps Residents amid 'Overwhelming' Hawaii Wildfires

Sadly, he says, "Just about every house in Lahaina is gone."

Shaw’s wife, 36-year-old Iwa Shaw, eventually flew their two children to her parents’ home in Oahu, then returned to Maui to help with the couple's business, Makai Adventures. For now, he and his wife are staying at a friend’s house.

Their 3-year-old daughter, Olina, had recently started preschool prior to the fires. Olina, a shy little girl, was just beginning to feel comfortable and really enjoying going to school. Now, the preschool building is gone. "It's going to be hard for her," he says.

And the couple’s 5-year-old son, Nahiku, had learned to surf and skateboard over the summer. Unfortunately, Nahiku's bike, all the family surfboards, and Shaw's daughter’s scooter were lost in the fire.

“This is pretty hard on them,” he says.

Related: 'Devastated' Hawaii Woman Races Against Time to Survive Wildfire: 'I Didn't Want to Leave'

The island remains "definitely [in] a state of panic," Shaw admits.

What's next for Shaw and his family remains unclear, as the fires are still active. Shaw spoke to PEOPLE while sitting in a Costco parking lot, amid making calls to insurance companies while his wife purchased food and supplies.

"Millions of people come to Hawaii all the time, especially Lahaina. It's one of the biggest destinations in all of Maui," he says. "And if you love the place, do what you can to help everybody here. Help your favorite businesses somehow. Help people that you've met here. There's a lot of people out there that come here year after year after year, and this would be a great chance for them to give back to the community."

They're trying to help out, too, despite their own losses. The couple established a GoFundMe for their charter boat employees. “I’d like to make sure they’re taken care of,” he says.

"People want to help, and it's a great thing. To see everybody really want to get together and help each other out is great. It's an amazing thing. It's great that we can come together."

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