Medical Examiner: Victim in fatal Makiki fire died of smoke inhalation
The Honolulu Fire Department put out a house fire on Kewalo Street in Makiki on Oct. 10. One woman escaped with the help of neighbors and one man died inside. The fire was determined to have started in the home’s kitchen.
The Honolulu medical examiner’s officer said a 57-year-old Makiki man died of smoke inhalation last month after the home he was living in collapsed before firefighters could reach him.
Johnny Kim died Oct. 10 in a fire at 1531-D Kewalo St.
He also suffered from burn injuries, the medical examiner’s office said.
Two neighbors helped Kim’s daughter escaped from the burning home. More than 30 firefighters from 15 companies responded to the fire at 11 a.m. and brought the fire under control by 11:30 a.m.
When firefighters arrived 80 percent of the one-story structure had been destroyed.
Firefighters found Kim’s body inside the collapsed house, and the man’s daughter, 25, was treated for smoke inhalation and released at the scene.
Firefighters estimated the blaze caused $420,000 in damage. Fire investigators said the cause of the fire, which started in the kitchen, was over-cooked food that was left unattended.
