Posted on: Monday, February 11, 2002

Fires destroy Pauoa home, damage Hawai'iloa house

By Karen Blakeman
Advertiser Staff Writer

Two house fires kept O'ahu firefighters busy yesterday.

One fire at a home in Pauoa Valley left a family homeless. Authorities suspect the blaze on Hi'ilawe Street was caused by child playing with a lighter in the bedroom, said fire spokesman Capt. Richard Soo.

No one was injured.

The fire started just before 2 p.m. Although firefighters arrived and extinguished it in less than 20 minutes, the blaze gutted the two bedroom wood-framed cottage, consuming everything.

Damage was estimated at $125,000.

The Red Cross was called in to help the mother, grandmother and three children.

Another fire on Hawai'iloa Ridge caused $170,000 in damage and involved flames that could be seen far below on Kalaniana'ole Highway.

The fire on Kokololio Place started at about 5:21 a.m. in the family room, where it was contained, said Soo. Smoke damaged much of the four-bedroom, three-bathroom home.

Authorities are investigating the cause.