POSTED: 08:33 p.m. HST, Apr 22, 2012
LAST UPDATED: 01:33 a.m. HST, Apr 23, 2012
A defective hot water heater sparked a fire to a wood-framed, single-family home in Pahoa's Black Sands sub-division that caused $3,000 in damage Sunday, Hawaii island fire officials said.
The fire was reported at 2:38 p.m. and firefighters had it under control at 2:55 p.m. and extinguished at 3:10 p.m., fire officials said.
The owner of the 700-square-foot home heard two loud explosions from the storage area beneath the home, fire officials said.
The fire began around the defective hot water heater and partially burned an adjacent wall, support post and floor joists, fire officials said.