Police are seeking witnesses to identify three male suspects involved in a stabbing that occurred about 3 a.m. this morning near the intersection of King and Liliha streets.

The victim, a 28-year-old Liliha resident, was taken to The Queen's Medical Center in critical condition but was upgraded to guarded, police said.

The victim is of Micronesian ancestry, and a language barrier clouded some of the details in the initial investigation, said police Detective Darryl Kon.

The victim told police he was walking on North King Street near Burger King when the three men asked him for money. He said he gave them about $1, and they then allegedly threatened him.

The nature of the threats is unclear, Kon said, but the victim fled to the Vineyard Boulevard intersection with Liliha, where the suspects allegedly punched him and stabbed him.

The robber with the knife is described as about 18 or 19 years old, 5 feet 4 inches tall, about 150 pounds wearing a red T-shirt, black pants and white shoes. He had a tattoo of a face on his left thumb. Descriptions of the other suspects were unavailable.

Anyone with information should call CrimeStoppers, 955-8300 or *CRIME on a cellular phone.

High-rise fire puts renter in hospital

A 56-year-old man remained today in satisfactory condition at Straub Hospital, where he's being treated for first- and second-degree burns suffered yesterday when fire gutted his rented Kapi'olani apartment.

Another man, who lived downstairs, was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation after smoke poured through shattered windows, said Capt. Richard Soo, Fire Department spokesman.

Eight fire companies responded to the 2:48 a.m. alarm at the 10th-floor studio apartment at Holiday Manor at 1650 Kanunu St.

The fire was under control at 3:12 a.m., and the last company left the scene at 5:16 a.m.

Officials estimated damage at $60,000 to the structure and $5,000 to the contents.

A heated pot of oil left unattended caused the fire, Soo said.

Pedestrian dies from injuries

A 75-year-old woman struck by a car Wednesday night near Pearl Harbor died yesterday.

The medical examiner's office identified her today as Rizalina Alfaro of Honolulu.

The woman was hit by a car as she attempted to cross Kamehameha Highway near the Makalapa Gate at about 6:20 p.m. Wednesday. Police said the woman had just gotten off a city bus and was not in a crosswalk.

Police said the driver of the car saw the woman but couldn't stop his vehicle in time. The driver, a 72-year-old Kalihi man, was not injured. An investigation into the accident was continuing.

Big Island road closed by accident

HILO, Hawai'i ­ The Hawai'i Saddle Road was shut down for several hours today when an out-of-control water delivery truck smashed into a utility pole, which fell across the narrow road. The accident happened before 6:45 a.m.

Details on the crash, including injury reports, were unavailable.