Quick thinking limits harm from home fire
Fire officials say a quick-thinking person prevented a one-story home in Kaimuki from burning to the ground by closing a door to confine the blaze to a single room.
Reported at 10:02 a.m. Thursday in the 3500 block of Wela Street, the fire — confined to a bedroom — was brought under control 10 minutes after firefighters arrived at the scene, according to the Honolulu Fire Department.
Capt. David Jenkins, department spokesman, said the fire was started accidentally by incense in a bedroom. The woman who discovered the blaze prevented it from spreading throughout the house by closing the door to the bedroom.
Damage was estimated at $30,000.
Four people were at home at the time, but none was injured.
Ten fire companies and 36 firefighters battled the blaze.
Suspect allegedly chokes woman
Police arrested a 27-year-old Makakilo man Thursday morning on suspicion of felony abuse for allegedly choking a 22-year-old woman.
During an argument on Wednesday the man restricted the woman’s airway and assaulted her, police said. The woman later left the home.
Police arrested the man at the Kapolei police station.
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Pair allegedly carried drugs at Kona Airport
Two Hawaii island residents have been charged with trafficking methamphetamine and other offenses after being found with large quantities of narcotics at Kona Airport Wednesday, police said.
Police set the street value of the drugs at more than $70,000.
At about 10:10 p.m., police executed search warrants on arriving passengers Rebecca O’Brien, 35, of Kailua-Kona and Jacob Stone, 28, of Waimea, and on the items they were carrying.
From O’Brien’s property, officers recovered six bundles of narcotics, including 127.4 grams of a crystalline substance, police said.
From Stone’s property, officers recovered three bundles of narcotics, including 91.3 grams of a crystalline substance, police said.
On Thursday afternoon, O’Brien was charged with meth trafficking, four counts of promoting dangerous drugs and four counts of drug paraphernalia. Her bail was set at $415,000.
Stone was charged with meth trafficking and drug paraphernalia. His bail was set at $260,000.
Both remain at the Kona cellblock pending their initial court appearance at Kona District Court, set for Friday morning.
Power line accident sparks 2-acre blaze
A backhoe hit an underground power line on Molokai Thursday, sparking a brush fire that charred 2 acres.
Crews from Kaunakakai, Hoolehua and Pukoo responded to the 2:14 p.m. alarm near Uluanui Road in Kawela.
The Air1 helicopter flew in from Maui to assist. The fire was brought under control at 3:11 p.m., Maui County said in a release
No injuries were reported and no evacuations were necessary, the county said.
