Kauai brush fire imperils homes
A late-night fire that burned about 2 acres of brush Tuesday along Hapa Road in Koloa, Kauai, came within 100 feet of houses before firefighters contained the blaze.
Firefighters from the Koloa, Kalaheo and Hanapepe stations responded to the fire at about 11:25 p.m.
The fire came within 100 feet of the houses along Puni Road, but firefighters were able to contain the blaze and the brush fire was deemed under control by midnight and fully extinguished by 1 a.m. Wednesday.
No injuries were reported in the incident.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Highway closed due to vapors
A barrel emitting hydrogen peroxide vapors forced evacuations by some people and the closure of Kula Highway for about four hours Tuesday on Maui.
Maui police closed Kula Highway between Kula Ace Hardware and the post office due to the fumes. Some people evacuated, but police did not have an estimate of evacuations.
Kamehameiki Road was also closed to traffic at about 2:45 p.m.
Hazardous materials personnel investigated and determined from the label that the barrel contained hydrogen peroxide; they took samples from the barrel and confirmed it to be hydrogen peroxide, police said.
The container was secured by a hazardous material disposal company.
Kula Highway was reopened at about 7 p.m. and Kamehameiki Road at about 9 p.m.
Electrical shock hurts school worker
A 68-year-old man apparently suffered an electrical shock at Punahou School about noon Wednesday.
Emergency Medical Services officials reported the man’s condition to be serious, and said he fell from
a ladder after he was shocked.
A spokeswoman for the school said in an email that the man was a school electrician.
He was taken to a hospital where he was being treated and held for observation.
The school is looking into the circumstances of the accident, but did not release further details.
“Our priority at this time is the well-being of our employee,” the school said.
