3 arson investigations opened after fires set at multiple government buildings in Honolulu
JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARADVERTISER.COM
Honolulu police and fire officials investigated two sites of fires at the Supreme Court building and at the Attorney General’s offices today.
JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARADVERTISER.COM
Honolulu police and fire officials investigated two sites of fires at the Supreme Court building and at the Attorney General’s offices today.
UPDATE, 5 p.m.
Honolulu police have opened three arson cases involving fires set at three different government buildings located next to one another in downtown Honolulu.
The first fire at the Hawaii Department of Attorney General building at 425 Queen St. was reported before 10 pm. Sunday. Burn marks were visible on the lower exterior of the main door facing Queen Street this morning.
The second fire was reported shortly before 2 a.m. today at Aliiolani Hale, a building that houses the Hawaii Supreme Court at 417 S. King St. The building is located mauka of the attorney general department building.
Police said it appeared a Molotov-type device was thrown at the front of the building and ignited. A small fire burned one of the exterior doors. The building closed today as police and firefighters conducted an investigation.
About four hours later, a third fire occurred at about 6 a.m. in the exterior of two separate entryways at the Department of Taxation at 830 Punchbowl St. The building is located makai of the attorney general department building.
No injuries were reported and there are no arrests at this time.
Honolulu Fire investigators determined the cause of the three fires as incendiary.
Police classified the fire at Aliiolani Hale as first-degree arson. The other two fires were classified as fourth-degree arson.
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Honolulu police opened a first-degree arson investigation involving a small fire that broke out at the Hawaii Supreme Court building in downtown Honolulu early today.
The fire occurred at Aliiolani Hale at 417 S. King St. just after 1:55 a.m.
The building is closed today as police and the Honolulu Fire Department investigate.
Police said it appeared a Molotov cocktail-type device was thrown at the front of the structure and ignited.
The fire burned one of the exterior doors of the building, resulting in residual smoke throughout the structure, according to state Judiciary spokeswoman Jan Kagehiro.
Authorities are also investigating a fire at a separate structure at 425 Queen St., located behind the Supreme Court building.
The state Department of Attorney General is located at the Queen Street building. Officers placed yellow police tape across the front of the building where there appears to be burn marks on the lower part of the exterior doors.
No injuries were reported.
