Marco Polo fire remediation work still progressing

Wednesday’s fatal fire in a Makiki high-rise was another dreadful reminder that sprinklers in tall residential buildings can help save lives and reduce extensive property damage and displacement.

Less than two miles away at the Marco Polo condominium tower where four people died in a fire last year, the building is still in a relatively early stage of restoration.

The Marco Polo fire in July caused an estimated $100 million in damage and destroyed 30 residences in the 568-unit tower at 2333 Kapiolani Blvd. To date, seven floors in the 35-story tower have had damaged materials removed, and this work known as abatement is in progress on another five floors.

Abatement work at Marco Polo has been slow and elaborate, in large part because of the need to remove building materials containing asbestos, a substance that becomes a health danger when disturbed. Because of the building’s configuration, entire floors need to be cleared of residents and personal belongings and sealed off for abatement work that can include removing ceilings, flooring and walls containing asbestos.

Andrew Fortin, a spokesman for Marco Polo’s management firm Associa Hawaii, said it’s taking six to seven weeks to complete such work several floors at a time.

The work is progressing from higher to lower floors. Next month, abatement work is scheduled to begin on floors 17 to 21. The fire started on the 26th floor.

Marco Polo resident Dara Young, who lives on the 17th floor and has water damage in her bathroom and kitchen, said residents whose units have little or no visible damage are affected.

“It’s a huge inconvenience, but we just got to do it,” she said, adding that Associa and the building’s board of directors have done a lot of work and a good job communicating what needs to happen.

Homeowner’s insurance and renter’s insurance can cover expenses for residents who have to pay to live elsewhere while abatement work is done. Fortin also said a $100,000 Associa charitable fund has distributed $95,000 to 120 residents in the building so far, and that the company is working to find ways to provide more help.

“The residents have been outstanding and very resilient,” he said.

There is no expected timetable for completing abatement because the extent of necessary work for each unit is uncertain.

After abatement, homeowners must coordinate with the association’s insurance carrier to have any affected interior fixtures and finishes replaced to a condition that is either equivalent to what was built originally, which would be covered by association insurance, or to a higher grade, which could be covered by a homeowner’s insurance policy if upgrades existed before the fire. Homeowners also can make upgrades at their own expense.