Witnesses come forward in arson at canoe hale

Witnesses saw a teenager use a cigarette lighter to start a fire on a new canoe hale, built from traditional materials, on the south side of Kahu­lui Harbor next to Hoa­loha Park Thursday night, a Maui Fire Department spokes­man said.

The witnesses told officials that a male in his late teens set the fire to the thatched roof covering of the Hawaiian Canoe Club’s new canoe hale at 8:30 p.m.

The fire damaged about 100 square feet of the roof before a sprinkler system kept it from spreading. When firefighters arrived they found a small smoldering fire on the roof.

FIREFIGHTERS said the fire was under control at 8:40 p.m. and extinguished at 9 p.m.

A new outrigger canoe, which was stored in the hale, also sustained damage.

Fire investigators said the blaze was intentionally set.

Damage to the structure and canoe was estimated at $3,000.

Hawaiian Canoe Club members and supporters built the roof using dried palm leaves. The sprinkler system was installed to bring the structure into compliance with Maui’s building codes.