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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Wednesday, March 5, 2003

Hawai'i briefs

Advertiser Staff and News Services

WINDWARD O'AHU

Substance investigated

The Fire Department's hazardous materials unit was called to investigate a white substance at The Atrium building at Kawa and Kahuhipa streets in Kane'ohe at 1:30 p.m. yesterday.

The material, in the building's atrium, was consistent with a dry chemical that is used in fire extinguishers, said Capt. Kenison Tejada, spokesman for the Honolulu Fire Department. An empty extinguisher was found in the building under a set of stairs.

Three people complained about reaction to the chemical, an irritant, but two refused treatment and the third person was checked out at the scene, Tejada said.

The department sent three companies and the Hazmat unit, which cordoned off the building and set up a decon-tamination unit, he said.

Fire department personnel were at the building until about 4:30 p.m.


Forum focuses on Akaka bill

The Kailua Hawaiian Civic Club will sponsor a forum on the Akaka bill, a policy for the relationship between the United States and Native Hawaiians at 7 pm. Friday at Kailua District Park.

Introduced by U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka, the bill recognizes the following: Native Hawaiian are indigenous, native people of the United States with a special trusts relationship. Hawaiians did not relinquish their claim to sovereignty or sovereign lands. Hawaiians have a right to self-determination and self-governance.

This forum will provide information and differing viewpoints. Speakers will include attorney H.K. Bruss Keppeler, Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs; attorney Keoni Agard, Queen Emma Hawaiian Civic Club and state Rep. Tommy Waters, D-51st (Waimanalo, Lanikai), as moderator.


NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Maui brushfire burns 20 acres

Maui firefighters extinguished a brushfire early Monday that blackened 20 acres in the remote Kahikinui area.

No structures or people were threatened as crews from Kula, Makawao, Kahului and Kihei battled the 6:30 p.m. blaze in rugged terrain near milepost 29 of Pi'ilani Highway for seven hours. A Maui County bulldozer and tanker truck was also summoned.

The American Red Cross used four-wheel-drive vehicles to deliver hot meals and water to the crews.

The fire, which was extinguished at 1:31 a.m. yesterday, is believed to have started from an abandoned vehicle, said Assistant Fire Chief Greg Chong Kee.


Cause unknown in Kaua'i blaze

Kaua'i firefighters contained a brushfire near the swinging bridge along Waimea River yesterday afternoon.

The fire was in a sparsely populated area off Menehune Road and no homes were in immediate danger. The cause was not known.

Firefighters were still putting out pockets of flame late in the afternoon, and the acreage burned by the blaze was not known.