Honolulu firefighters extinguish 3-alarm blaze near Sand Island
CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARADVERTISER.COM
Smoke can be seen from the scene of a large fire in the area of 50 Sand Island Access Rd. this morning. Firefighters reportedly brought the fire under control around 9 a.m.
More than 50 firefighters responded to a three-alarm fire this morning at 50 Sand Island Access Rd. that was brought under control at 9:53 a.m.
According to Honolulu Fire Department Capt. Randall Lindsey, 15 units staffed with 54 personnel responded to a report of a structure fire at 6:19 a.m. and arrived 10 minutes later to find heavy smoke and flames coming from a pile of 48-inch diameter PVC piping that was being stored at an industrial property.
The fire was extinguished at 10:25 a.m.
Lindsey said in a press briefing this morning that the amount of PVC pipe on fire, if laid end-to-end, would be about a half-mile long.
Due to limited access to fire hydrants, HFD said the first units on scene began fighting the fire without first connecting to a water supply. Three separate water relays were quickly inititated to connect multiple fire hoses and pump water from more distant sources.
Firefighters from the state Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting Unit also took part in efforts to battle the blaze.
In addition, Lindsey said HFD’s HAZMAT unit was on scene to collect air quality samples and found there to be no airborne traces of harmful contaminants in the immediate area of the fire, as well as downwind from its location.
No injuries were reported. Fire investigators are on scene this afternoon to try and determine the cause of the blaze.
