Salt Lake fire displaces 4 residents

A large residential fire Friday morning displaced four residents, damaged surrounding structures and temporarily closed a section of Salt Lake Boulevard.

Nine units with 34 firefighters responded to the fire at 3602 Salt Lake Blvd. at 9:23 a.m.

Honolulu Battalion Chief Paul Miguel said about 25 percent of the structure was burning when firefighters arrived, but wind fanned the flames, which rapidly engulfed the wooden structure.

Neighbor Ruguine Aspiras said she had just arrived at work and turned on her computer when her neighbor alerted her to the fire. “I thought it was a Friday the 13th joke when I got the text,” she said. Aspiras immediately left her office and headed home.

Honolulu Fire Department officials said four occupants — two men, one woman and a child — were home at the time of the fire and were able to evacuate.

HFD spokesman Capt. Kevin Mokulehua said the blaze was brought under control at 10:01 a.m. and extinguished at 11:17 a.m.

Fire damage was estimated at $483,200 to the structure and $95,000 to the contents, HFD said. Three structures surrounding the burned residence sustained about $50,000 worth of damage.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.