Helicopter rescues 3 in 2 incidents

A fire helicopter rescued three people who fell in the mountains in two separate incidents yesterday.

A 26-year-old woman tumbled off a trail between the first and second peaks on Olomana Trail about 2 p.m., said Honolulu Fire Capt. Robert Main.

Bystanders helped the woman back up, but she wasn’t able to hike out because of her injuries, Main said.

A fire helicopter picked her up and took her to an ambulance at Maunawili Valley Neighborhood Park. Her injuries were not life-threatening, Main said.

Two hours later, two men, 19 and 27, were rock climbing in the Waianae Range near Kaena Point when they both fell about 40 feet in a gulch, Main said.

Firefighters had to hike about a quarter-mile from the end of Farrington Highway and then climb up to the injured men, arriving about 70 minutes after the call.

After firefighters prepared the men for transport, a helicopter picked them up and took them to paramedics at Camp Erdman. The men were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, Main said.

Cause of Mililani garage fire sought

Firefighters are searching for the cause of a garage fire last night in Mililani.

The fire began about 7 p.m. at a dwelling on Hokuula Loop, said Honolulu Fire Capt. Robert Main.

He said firefighters confined the blaze to the garage and extinguished it by 7:25 p.m. No one was injured. The fire caused $40,000 in damage and destroyed an SUV.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Woman hurt, man arrested, in knife attack

A Molokai woman was being treated for life-threatening injuries yesterday after she was slashed with a knife by her boyfriend, Maui police said.

John Henry Sardinha, 52, of Hoolehua was arrested in the Saturday assault. Sardinha was charged with second-degree attempted murder, second-degree assault and abuse of a family or household member. His bail is $52,000.

Police said Sardinha attacked his girlfriend outside a home in the Kawela Barns neighborhood about 10 p.m.

Another woman, who intervened and eventually took away the knife, was cut on both hands, police said.

Responding officers found Sardinha’s girlfriend with abrasions on her face from being punched and serious cuts on her right cheek and left arm. Both women were taken to Molokai General Hospital. The other woman was treated and released.

Officers arrested Sardinha at his home. He has seven convictions for burglary, assault, kidnapping, robbery and other offenses.

350 acres burn on Big Island

Big Island firefighters were busy yesterday with a 350-acre brush fire northeast of South Point.

The blaze started about 1:35 p.m. in Kaalualu near Kaalualu Bay, but was not threatening any structures, firefighters said.

A fire helicopter made water drops and had to guide about six vehicles of campers and fishers away from the bay because they couldn’t find their way out in the smoke, firefighters said.

By 8 p.m., firefighters brought three flanks under control and were waiting for a bulldozer to finish building firebreaks on the east side. No one was injured, and a cause was still under investigation.