An 86-year-old man suffered second-degree burns on his face, legs and forearm in a fire that gutted his two-story Salt Lake residence today.

The cause of the 1:20 a.m. fire at 1120 Pu'olo Dr. is under investigation. Damage is estimated at $180,000 to the structure and $20,000 to contents.

The man and his granddaughter, 38, were treated at Straub Clinic & Hospital. The woman was treated for smoke inhalation and released. Her grandfather remains hospitalized.

The two were the only ones in the house when the second-floor fire started, said Mokulele Fire Capt. Wes Maxwell.

Woman escapes purse-snatchers

Four men in a white van today tried to grab a woman during an apparent purse-snatching incident in Mo'ili'ili.

The woman, in her late 30s, told police she was walking on a narrow roadway fronting 2626 S. King St. near Puck's Alley at about 8:30 a.m. when a man tried to pull her into a van.

The woman struggled to free herself but the men drove off with her purse.

Man charged in bank robbery

A 58-year-old man charged with Saturday's robbery of American Savings Bank's Makiki branch was scheduled to be arraigned today in federal court. The suspect, Alba Hall, who has no permanent address, surrendered to police yesterday.

Hall is accused of passing a note to a teller demanding $100 and fleeing with two $50 bills, police said.

Robbery Lt. Raymond Quon said today that with Hall in custody, police have resolved 11 of O'ahu's 13 bank robberies this year.

The two outstanding cases are the March 13 takeover robbery of American Savings' 'Aiea branch and the Feb. 26 holdup of First Hawaiian Bank's Kaimuki branch.

Tip to police nabs thief

Tipped off by an alert neighbor, police yesterday arrested a suspected burglar in Kapahulu.

A Campbell Avenue resident saw a man enter and exit his neighbor's home and reported the break-in to police at 5:30 p.m. The witness followed the suspect and led police to him. The suspect, 24, was booked on suspicion of first-degree burglary.

City issues jellyfish alert

The city Ocean Safety Division is warning beachgoers that the monthly influx of box jellyfish is expected this weekend.

The threat of stings is expected to peak tomorrow and taper off Saturday.