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High-rise fires hit Waikiki, Salt Lake
Two high-rise building fires kept firefighters busy yesterday .
The first fire started at 8:07 a.m. on the 14th floor of the Ilikai Marina at 1765 Ala Moana Blvd., said Honolulu fire Capt. Terry Seelig.
Someone accidentally bumped the stove and turned on the burner, which had pizza boxes on top that caught on fire.
The fire and smoke damaged the cabinets and caused about $10,000 damage to the unit, Seelig said.
Four people in the unit escaped without injury, and firefighters extinguished the blaze in about 10 minutes.
About 3:25 p.m., a fire broke out on the lanai of a second-floor unit at 2889 Ala Ilima St. in Salt Lake.
Four people inside the unit escaped without harm, but people leaving via the stairwell encountered smoke and complained of respiratory irritation and mild distress, Seelig said.
Four adults and two children were taken to the hospital to be checked out, including one adult who fell and injured a leg while coming down the stairwell.
Firefighters contained the fire to the furniture and other items on the lanai and put the blaze out by 3:40 p.m. Damage was estimated at about $7,500. A cause remains under investigation.
Man indicted in Kauai shooting
A Kauai grand jury indicted a 24-year-old man Wednesday in connection with the fatal shooting of another man last month on Kauai.
Vicente Hilario was charged with first-degree murder, second-degree murder, intimidating a witness, retaliation against a witness and bribery.
Hilario is accused of shooting Aureo Arick Moore, 34, on Dec. 17 near Anahola Beach Park.
Moore was a witness in an August robbery case that allegedly involved Hilario.
Hilario was arrested in connection with the robbery and released without charges. Prosecutors said earlier this month the case is still under investigation. Prosecutors could not be reached for comment yesterday.
Hilario remains at the Kauai Community Correctional Center. His bail amount increased to $2 million from $100,000.
An arraignment and plea at Kauai Circuit Court has yet to be scheduled, according to Hilario’s attorney, Keith Shigetomi.
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
3 saved off Secret Beach
A Kauai fire helicopter rescued a 33-year-old Guatemalan man and his two rescuers Wednesday after they got caught in strong ocean currents off Secret Beach.
Firefighters received a report of the swimmer struggling in strong currents about 5 p.m., and two firefighters swam out to the man with rescue tubes, a Kauai spokeswoman said. The firefighters were unable to swim the man back to shore because of high surf and hazardous ocean conditions and had to wait with the man about 200 yards offshore for help. A fire boat and helicopter were able to pull all three out of the water.
Charges filed in ATM thefts
Big Island police have charged a 45-year-old Hilo woman with 15 offenses in connection with using stolen credit cards to withdraw $1,107 from an automated teller machine last year.
Cynthia Ann Johnasen was charged Wednesday with unauthorized use of personal information, two counts of theft of a credit card, four counts of fraudulent use of a credit card, four counts of identity theft and four counts of theft.
