Updated at 11:45 a.m., Friday, July 5, 2002
Arson suspected in Waikiki boat fires
By Vicki Viotti
Advertiser Staff Writer
 |
| A city firefighter climbs aboard one of three boats damaged by fire today at Waikiki Yacht Club. Richard Ambo • The Honolulu Advertiser |
A precise damage estimate wasn't available this morning, but Capt. Richard Soo, Honolulu Fire Department spokes man, said losses are expected to reach "several thousand dollars" for each boat.
In addtion to the three boats that burned, inspection of two more boats showed evidence of ignitable fluids, Soo said, indicating that someone had planned causing more extensive damage.
The engine and ladder companies from the Pawa'a station and a battalion chief were dispatched to the yacht club at 5:52 a.m.
Firefighters said that after putting out fires aboard two adjacent 35-foot sloops toward the makai end of the harbor, bystanders called them over to a third fire aboard a 25-foot boat, also a sloop rig, docked near the Ala Moana bridge. The smaller boat appeared to have sustained the worst damage, Soo said.
Police and fire investigators were still working to determine the cause, but Soo said the preliminary conclusion is that the fires were intentionally set. Additionally, flammable liquid was found in the cabins of two 40-foot yachts docked in the adjacent slips on the yacht club side, Soo said, although no fires had been set there.
"This is truly a criminal act," Soo said. "Nobody lived aboard these boats, but they are close to boats that had people on them, so there could have been loss of life."
Potential witnesses may have ignored extraneous noises arising from the crimes because of all the disturbances the previous night during the fireworks exhibition at Magic Island, nearby.
Les Vasconcellos, owner of the Urban Renewal, one of the 35-foot vessels, said from the quick glance into his boat cabin that he was allowed he could see a flare gun that didn't belong on the craft. Investigators later confirmed that flares found aboard both Vasconcellos' boat and the one in the next slip were probably used to ignite those fires.
Two cushions and a sail had been damaged, he said; sails for these rigs cost about $2,000, he said.
Vasconcellos said he was alerted to the fire by a neighbor who lives in a highrise across from the yacht club who recognized his boat as one of those on fire. It was the first case of an intentionally set fire he could recall in 45 years of club membership.
