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BRUCE ASATO / JULY 19
The city will hold an informational briefing and community meeting on fire safety on Saturday. The meeting is from 10 a.m. to noon at the Mission Memorial Auditorium, 550 S. King St.
In the wake of the fatal and destructive Marco Polo condominium fire, the city on Saturday will hold an informational briefing and community meeting on fire safety.
Council members Carol Fukunaga, Ann Kobayashi, Joey Manahan and Trevor Ozawa requested the meeting after the City Council considered a bill to retrofit older high-rise buildings with fire sprinkler systems, but on Aug. 22 deferred the measure in order to gather more information and concerns about the cost.
Three people died and five others were seriously injured in the seven-alarm Marco Polo high rise fire on Kapiolani Boulevard on July 14. More than 80 units were damaged by flames, more than 30 were destroyed, and another 130 sustained water damage.
The total damage estimate exceeds $100 million.
According to the Honolulu Fire Department, there are 358 residential high-rise condominium properties and hundreds of other residential structures more than 75 feet high that do not have fire sprinkler systems.
At Saturday’s meeting, industry experts and fire safety professionals will discuss current fire safety regulations, prevention strategies, insurance plans and policies, and city rehabilitation loans and other programs available to assist the public, the City Council said in a news release.
Public discussion and input on various concerns will follow the formal presentation. The agenda is subject to change.
The meeting is from 10 a.m. to noon at the Mission Memorial Auditorium, 550 S. King St. Free parking will be available at the Civic Center Parking Lot with entrances on South Beretania and Alapai streets.
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