Fires cut phone service on Molokai, Lanai
Hawaiian Telcom sent technicians and equipment to Molokai Tuesday evening to repair a telephone cable damaged by brush fires Tuesday afternoon.
The damage prevented many phone customers on Molokai and Lanai from placing or receiving calls outside their island, Hawaiian Telcom spokeswoman Ann Nishida Fry said.
About 3,000 Molokai and 1,000 Lanai customers lost phone service, and some high-speed Internet service also was disrupted.
The fire also prevented people from making 911 emergency calls for 40 minutes on Molokai and two hours on Lanai, Nishida Fry said.
Officials said two brush fires began near one another off Maunaloa Highway. The first was reported at 1:34 p.m. at Mile Marker 3 and burned 5,000 square feet. The second began shortly afterward about a quarter-mile north of the first fire and burned 15 to 20 acres.
The Fire Department received reports of utility poles on fire, said Maui County Fire Services Chief Lee Mainaga, resulting in the 911 and other phone service going down.
Mainaga said five fire companies and 14 firefighters responded to the fires.
A fire helicopter was dispatched from Maui and performed water drops.
The county Public Works Department also sent out two tankers and a bulldozer to assist. A private contractor and the state Highways Division also sent out one water tanker each.
The fires were contained at about 3:30 p.m.
Bullet holes found in door of parked car
Police were investigating a shooting Tuesday in Waianae. A man told officers he parked his vehicle on Upena Street at about 9:50 a.m., and when he returned to the car, he found bullet holes in a passenger-side door, police said. No suspects were identified. Police opened a reckless-endangerment case.
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Police find man lost on Hawaii isle
Hawaii County police have found a 69-year-old Hilo man who had been reported missing.
Robert Johns was found unharmed in Hilo Monday.
Johns had last been seen in Hilo Saturday. He has a medical condition that requires medication, police said.
