Victims of deadly Hawaii wildfire agree deal over how to split $4bn payout

Lawyers avert trial after reaching agreement on how money should be disbursed, two years after devastating fire

A last-minute deal reached between lawyers representing victims of a deadly Hawaii wildfire has averted the need for a trial to determine how to split a $4bn settlement.

The unusual trial had been expected to delve into difficult questions about survivors' losses. Some victims were ready to take the witness stand, while others submitted pre-recorded testimony, describing pain made all the more fresh by the recent destruction in Los Angeles.