Hotel sprinkler helps control fire

Honolulu fire officials credit an in-house automatic sprinkler system for helping to douse a fire in the service area of the Kealohilani Tower of the Waikiki Beach Marriott Hotel yesterday afternoon.

An unknown number of guests were evacuated from the tower on the makai side of the complex, but no one was injured, fire Capt. Terry Seelig said.

The sprinkler system and staff helped confine the fire by the time firefighters responded to the 1:40 p.m. call. Fire officials pronounced the fire under control at 2:11 p.m.

The only damage was to rollaway beds in the second-floor service area of Kealohilani, which is the makai tower of two on the Marriott property.

Together, there are 1,310 rooms in the complex, said hotel spokeswoman Bernie Caalim.

Hotel guest Eddie Monge, 33, of Los Angeles said the evacuation went in an orderly fashion. "Nobody was freaking out."

Toddler who drowned is identified

The Honolulu Medical Examiner’s Office has identified the 3-year-old boy who was found in a whirlpool bath at a Maikiki condominium Sunday as Jason Kim.

Kim was found in the tub of a Camelot apartment on Liholiho Street by his sister. He was taken in critical condition to a hospital where he died Sunday night.

Teens arrested in attempted robbery

Five teenage boys were arrested Monday night after a woman was robbed of her purse at a Waikiki beach.

Police said the woman, 20, and her boyfriend were confronted by the boys shortly before 8 p.m. One boy grabbed the woman’s purse and fled on foot. When the victim’s boyfriend tried to intervene, the other boys blocked his way and made implied threats, police said.

A bystander, however, chased down and caught the first boy and retrieved the victim’s purse.

Of the five boys arrested, three are 17, one is 16 and one is 15. Besides second-degree robbery, one of the boys possessed marijuana and was arrested for promotion of a detrimental drug. All were released pending investigation.