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KRYSTLE MARCELLUS / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-ADVERTISER
The Hawaiian Canoe Club Hale in Kahului was the target of arson Thursday evening. The blaze was under control within an hour, yet still caused substantial damage to the structure.
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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.