Fire investigators Friday were still looking into what caused a fire at a three-level home in lower Kalihi Valley that claimed the life of a young man Thursday night.
It appears the house at 1915 Kalihi St. owned by Cleophus Sanders was in violation of city zoning and housing codes, although any fines or other penalties the city Department of Planning and Permitting could impose on the property owner after the fact would likely be minor.
The city Department of the Medical Examiner identified the victim as Herbert Moana Nuuanu III, 22. The cause of death was deferred pending further examination. Neighbors described Nuuanu as autistic.
Firefighters discovered Nuuanu’s body 10 to 20 feet behind the door of a second-floor bedroom. Neighbors said that’s where he lived.
The fire is believed to have started in a first-floor unit, said Capt. Terry Seelig, Honolulu Fire Department spokesman. "Exactly where and how are the ongoing investigation," Seelig said. "So we have kind of like a general area of origin: that level. The description of that level is that it looks like a large room that has some divisions in it to form smaller rooms, and it does appear that that’s nonpermitted construction."
Seelig said information will be given to the Department of Planning and Permitting and the Honolulu Police Department, which has classified the case as an unattended death. "Right now we’re focusing on where within that room was the area of origin, and why, which is the cause of the ignition," he said.
Damage to the home was estimated at $500,000.
Art Challacombe, deputy planning director, told reporters Friday that Sanders received a building permit in 2002 to expand the residence on the 4,500-square-foot lot to seven bedrooms from two. Two building permits filed with the city show the combined total estimate of the work to be done at $119,200.
Challacombe said the housing code allows for up to five unrelated people to live in that dwelling, or up to 31 related people. "Related," under city housing code, is defined as related by blood, adoption or marriage. The Land Use Ordinance also allows up to three individual "roomers," he said.
"We don’t know if everyone in the home was related," Challacombe said. At this point it might be difficult to determine whether any occupancy violations occurred, he said.
Displaced residents of the house made it clear there were at least three and likely four separate families living in the dwelling, although estimates of how many people actually resided there ranged from 20 to 33.
Justin and Giana Santana, who said they were paying $1,300 a month, including utilities, for a two-bedroom unit, waited Friday afternoon for the landlord to give them permission to re-enter what was left of the dwelling. They said they and their three children lived on the second level, as did Nuuanu’s family, with whom they are not related. Two other families lived in the lower and upper levels, although they possibly were related, the Santanas said.
Challacombe said the city investigated a complaint in 2009 that there were too many occupants in the dwelling. Housing code inspectors found one family of eight on the premises, "and therefore there was no violation in 2009."
As for possible violations mentioned by Seelig, Challacombe said DPP staff is working with fire officials to determine whether illegal construction occurred on the property. DPP’s general philosophy is to focus on compliance rather than meting out punishment. If the house is a total loss, the property owner would likely be issued a notice to demolish the structure and remove the debris, Challacombe said.
"Essentially this is a problem that is a major problem on Oahu that the city and county is trying to address. … Because housing is so expensive on Oahu, that’s why families are forced to double and triple up," he said.
Calls made by the Honolulu Star-Advertiser to Sanders went unanswered.
