Heroic cat missing after fire destroys Kapahulu home, causing $320,000 in damage
JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARADVERTISER.COM
Residents who did not want to be identified sorted through the remains of a house that burned overnight in Kapahulu.
The hero Kapahulu cat who alerted its owners that their house was on fire early this morning has not been found, Honolulu fire officials said.
HFD determined that the 1:53 a.m. blaze at 3327 Francis St. was triggered accidentally by a malfunctioning electrical outlet that caused $260,000 in damage to the structure and $60,000 to its contents, said Fire Capt. Scot Seguirant.
No one was injured.
“The cat is unaccounted for,” Seguirant said in a statement.
The first of 10 Honolulu Fire Department units and 39 firefighters arrived at 1:58 a.m. and saw smoke and flames coming out of the home’s right corner.
>> View more photos from the fire in our photo gallery.
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HFD said the adult male and female occupants “were alerted to the fire by their pet cat and escaped without injuries.”
Firefighters had the blaze under control at 2:16 a.m. and fully extinguished at 4:20 a.m.
Seguirant reminded people to call a qualified electrician or landlord if they frequently experience blowing fuses or tripping circuit breakers; a tingling feeling when they touch an electrical appliance; have discolored or warm wall outlets, or see sparks from an outlet.
