A liquid fuel spill forced about 150 people to evacuate a Makiki building and shut down part of South Beretania Street on Wednesday.

At 9:23 a.m., firefighters responded to a report of a gas leak at Hale Pawaa Office Building, 1401 S. Beretania St., and found a strong noxious odor on the building’s seventh floor spreading throughout the building, said Honolulu Fire Capt. Kevin Mokulehua.

Firefighters evacuated the nine-story building and began ventilating it.

Mokulehua said firefighters determined the source of the odor was liquid fuel — similar to the type used in a camping stove — that had spilled on a 20-foot section of carpet on the seventh floor. The cause of the spill was unknown.

Firefighters allowed occupants to return at 11:51 a.m.

Police closed two left lanes of South Beretania Street for about two hours during the incident.

2 escape as fire guts Big Island home

A fire on Hawaii island engulfed a two-story home Wednesday in Keauhou, where two people escaped injury.

The Hawaii County Fire Department estimated the damage to the Holua Road home at around $697,000.

The home was engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived about noon. Keauhou, Kailua and Captain Cook fire companies worked to bring the blaze under control. The fire was extinguished at 1:07 p.m.

The fire caused the roof to collapse, which made it difficult to extinguish.

Japanese visitor drowned, officials say

A 58-year-old visitor from Japan died Tuesday of accidental drowning, the Honolulu Medical Examiner’s office said.

Kiyokazu Kodama of Chiba, Japan, was found floating facedown in the ocean off Waikiki about 3:15 p.m. Monday.

Honolulu Ocean Safety rescue officers took Kodama to shore, where they performed CPR.

Honolulu Emergency Medical Service personnel took Kodama to a hospital in critical condition.