Fire damage shuts down all of Waiakea High School
By Hugh Clark
Advertiser Big Island Bureau
HILO, Hawai'i — Waiakea High School remains closed today after a fire caused heavy damage to a two-story, 10-classroom building.
Tim Wright • The Honolulu Advertiser
Waiakea Principal Ron Furukawa said classes are expected to resume tomorrow for the 1,230 students, who started the fall term July 31.
Waiakea High Vice Principal Kelcy Koga surveys the damage to Building R. A fire that began in a storage shed destroyed two of 10 classrooms in the two-story structure early yesterday and kept students out of school today.
Acting Fire Capt. Aaron Arbles said the cause of the fire is under investigation.
The fire broke out about 3:30 a.m. yesterday in a storage shed next to a concrete-block structure known as Building R. Two classrooms were destroyed and other rooms in the building sustained water and smoke damage.
Classes displaced by the building fire will meet in other facilities, Furukawa said.
Fire officials estimated damage at $400,000, but state officials said the cost of repairing or replacing the building is expected to be greater.
Although the school was closed yesterday and electrical and telephone service had been cut off, about 150 faculty and staff members reported to work.
The fire was reported by a passing motorist. Ten county firefighting units battled the blaze for about 70 minutes. One firefighter was injured, but details were not available yesterday.
Firefighters had to return to the school around 9:15 a.m. to snuff out a flare-up.
