The Honolulu Fire Department on Thursday reclassified the July 14 fatal fire at the Marco Polo high-rise condominium to seven-alarm from five-alarm based on the number of responding personnel and equipment.

The severity of a fire dictates how many firefighters are dispatched and the equipment required — the number of alarms increasing each time there’s a call for more resources.

As investigation into the Maro Polo fire continues, HFD spokesman Capt. David Jenkins said it was determined that more than 120 firefighters and 15 fire engines were sent to the scene, and for HFD that made it a seven-alarm blaze.

The Marco Polo, a 36-story building at 2333 Kapiolani Blvd., was built in 1971, four years before installation of fire sprinkler systems were mandated in high-rises on Oahu. Three people died, and approximately 200 of the 568 units were damaged.

The cause of the fire has not been determined.

Kauai

Short-eared owl among 3 found dead on Kauai roads

LIHUE >> A Hawaiian short-eared owl that was struck by a vehicle in late March has died after being hit by another vehicle two months after it was rehabilitated and released back into the wild.

The state’s Department of Land and Natural Resources said two more owls were found dead on Kauai’s roads on the same day.

Andre Raine of the Kauai Endangered Seabird Recovery Project originally found the owl March 22 and took it to the Save Our Shearwaters rehabilitation center, where it recovered with the help of Hawaii Wildlife Center staff members. They nursed the owl back to health and released it in late April, The Garden Island reported Wednesday.

It was recently found 6 miles from the release location and was in good body condition, which means the bird had been hunting and feeding successfully, the Department of Land and Natural Resources said.

Tracy Anderson of the Save Our Shearwaters rehabilitation center examined the dead owl and confirmed its injuries were consistent with being struck by a vehicle.

Owls are often attracted to roadsides by rats and mice, which are attracted by the easy pickings of food scraps and rubbish discarded by people, the DLNR said.

In addition to the three Hawaiian owls found dead on Kauai’s roads, another one was discovered on Oahu earlier this year and could not be rehabilitated after it collided with a car.

“The death of the owls serves as a reminder for those who drive on Kauai’s roads to slow down and be aware of owls, nene, fledgling seabirds and other birds that may be feeding or flying alongside or near roads and highways,” Raine said.