Fire caused significant damage to two homes and minor damage to two others in Kalani Valley on Sunday.
The fire at Kalaniwai Place was first reported at 4:35 p.m. The Honolulu Fire Department responded by dispatching 14 crews staffed by 54 personnel, according to HFD spokesman Capt. Kevin Mokulehua.
Arriving firefighters found heavy smoke coming from one of the residences and, after securing a water source, initiated a “very aggressive attack” on the fire, Mokulehua said.
However, due to the close proximity of neighboring homes, severe sloping, shifting winds and other factors, the firefighters eventually pulled back and switched to a defensive approach to keep the fire from spreading to other houses.
Johnny Louch, a resident of South Africa who is visiting his mother-in-law at her home a few doors down, said he smelled what he thought was plastic burning, went outside to investigate and saw smoke coming from the neighboring home.
“I ran over and saw an open door,” he said. “I stuck my head in and asked if anyone was home, but no one was there. I could hear the fire crackling above.”
Mokulehua later confirmed that multiple residents were home at the time of the fire but were able to evacuate without injury.
The cause of the fire has not been determined pending an investigation. Damage estimates are not yet available.
Hunt continues for crew in Black Hawk crash
Air, sea and ground crews will continue the search today for five Army aviators missing at sea since Tuesday.
The ever-widening search field expanded Sunday beyond Niihau.
The UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter went down off Kaena Point with five aboard. Only small pieces of wreckage have been found
The Coast Guard said airplane crews and the cutter Galveston Island were searching the leading edge of the search zone southwest of Niihau while the helicopters and cutter Walnut were concentrating on an area 35 miles offshore of Kaena Point.
Shoreline crews were scanning the area along the north and west shores of Kaena Point and along the south shore of Kauai.
By Sunday afternoon searchers had covered more than 90,000 square miles in 113 sorties, the Coast Guard said. Searchers have set up a command center at Haleiwa Boat Harbor.
7 arrested in Ala Moana area in gambling case
Seven people were arrested in connection with gambling offenses Saturday night in the Ala Moana area.
Two women and five men were arrested on misdemeanor counts at 7:15 p.m. at 1519 Liona St., police arrest logs show.
Police booked a 50-year-old woman for investigation of second-degree promoting gambling and possession of a gambling device. The others, a 49-year-old woman and five men ages 45 to 63, were booked for investigation of gambling and possession of a gambling device. All of the suspects were released that night after each posted $1,000 bail.
A court date for the suspects has been set for Sept. 18 in Honolulu District Court.
