Hawaii man trapped by fast-moving lava for 12 days

HONOLULU (KABC) -- A Hawaiian man is safe after being trapped by the fast-moving lava from the Kilauea volcano for 12 days with no way of escaping.

Allen Bertram watched lava engulf his garden and then his house at 10 mph. He left with just the clothes on his back and his dog -- that later ran away -- and barricaded himself inside a neighbor's garage.

He survived off of canned food stored in their pantry.

United States Geological Survey scientists flew a drone over the active summit of the Kilauea volcano in Hawaii in May 2018, when it was too dangerous to observe on foot.

Surrounded by lava, his moment of hope came when a helicopter flew overhead.

"Three garbage can lids, bright red, and marking paint and a red shirt as a flag. I was praying I was going to get rescued," Bertram said.

He added that the day he was rescued was the best day of his life. Now, he hopes he can find his dog.

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Lava flows and hazardous volcanic particles continue to be emitted by Hawaii's Kilauea volcano on Saturday, June 9.

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