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Man, 61, dies in high-rise fire on Kalakaua Avenue

A 61-year-old man died in a two-alarm fire that broke out at a state-owned apartment high-rise in Pawaa late Thursday.

Positive identification is pending.

Ten units with 39 firefighters responded to the blaze at 1541 Kalakaua Ave. at 11:25 p.m.

When they arrived, they observed flames to the exterior of the 19-story building.

Firefighters located the fire in unit 1802 and brought flames under control just before 11:40 p.m., said Honolulu Fire Spokesman Capt. Scot Seguirant in a news release.

They located the 61-year-old man unresponsive inside the unit. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Neighbors reported hearing a working smoke detector in unit 1802. They also said he was the only occupant of the unit, and that he had limited mobility after a previous stroke.

Firefighters extinguished the blaze by 11:46 p.m.

Seguirant said the cause of the fire is under investigation.

Several neighboring units also sustained damage. A damage estimate to all affected units has yet to be determined.

According to state and property records, the building has 211 units and is owned and managed by the Hawaii Public Housing Authority.

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