A 50-year-old man was arrested Sunday on suspicion of starting a fire that heavily damaged his Kaimuki home, according to police and county records.

The man, who had not been charged Sunday afternoon, was arrested on 4th Avenue at 10:50 a.m. on suspicion of first-degree arson, police booking logs show. Police said he was arrested after witnesses identified him as a suspect.

The man is listed as one of the owners of the property at 3257 Brokaw St., according to county property tax records.

Honolulu firefighters said the blaze started with a vehicle fire at about 9:45 a.m. in the garage. It spread to the two-story structure. Some 30 firefighters responded and extinguished the blaze in about 40 minutes, said Honolulu Fire Department Capt. Scot Seguirant.

He said one man reportedly lived in the home, but firefighters did not find anyone inside.

Fire investigators later determined the fire was intentionally set and turned the case over to police. Damage from the fire was estimated at $640,000, Seguirant said.

Neighbors said the house was put up for sale recently. It was still listed Sunday as for sale on Zillow.com for just over $1 million.

Maggie Diaz, who lives several houses down on Brokaw Street, said she discovered the blaze after she heard someone screaming outside about a fire and saw flames shooting out sideways from the house.

“It was raining ashes for a while,” she said.

Alyssa Wooten, who lives next door to the burned home, said she was checking outlets in her home because she smelled smoke when she looked out her window and saw black smoke coming from the house.

She grabbed her baby and ran out of her house while yelling for her neighbors to also get out of their homes.

“It’s scary,” she said. “I’m just happy that we’re all OK.”