A 40-year-old Wai'aiane man was taken to The Queen’s Medical Center today after an explosion occurred in a sewer line in Mililani because of equipment failure.

The explosion occurred at 9:19 a.m. on Kamehameha Highway near Meheula Parkway when a machine that produces compressed air to stop the sewage flow failed and exploded.

The worker, an employee with a private contractor, was just leaving the utility hole when the accident happened, said Mililani Mauka fire Capt. Ron Smith.

Police said the man was taken to Queen’s in serious condition, but further information on his condition was not available.

Boy questioned in biking death

Police vehicular homicide investigators yesterday questioned the companion of a 13-year-old boy killed Monday in a traffic collision. The two boys were riding bicycles on Kalaniana'ole Highway near Waimanalo Elementary & Intermediate School.

Justin Liko Flores’ bicycle veered off the raised sidewalk and into the roadway. The boy died from injuries at The Queen’s Medical Center after being struck by a car.

Witnesses told police the two boys were playing and slapping each other as they rode on the raised sidewalk on the mauka side of the roadway.

Sgt. John Agno, acting supervisor of the vehicular homicide unit, confirmed today that investigators met with the boy yesterday in Waimanalo but declined comment on what they learned. The boy was not arrested.

Fishing boat still aground

A crew was unable to refloat a 59-foot fishing vessel yesterday that ran aground Tuesday morning near Waimanalo Beach Park. Yesterday was spent trying to remove 15,000 pounds of 'ahi on board in the hope that lightening the vessel would allow it to be floated at high tide at 2 p.m. But the crew missed the high tide and 5,000 pounds of fish remained on board by late afternoon, said Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Todd Offutt.

Police suspend Foster search

Police have suspended the search for 50-year-old Hoae Foster after searching the area around Yokohama Bay for the past two days.

Yesterday’s six-hour effort involved firefighters and water safety personnel, said Officer Phil Camero of the Honolulu Police Department’s missing persons detail. The effort involved both aerial and water searches, said Camero.

Foster was last seen on Oct. 2 and her car was found abandoned and parked on Monday at Yokohama Beach Park.