Kahala house fire leaves 1 dead
By Peter Boylan
Advertiser Staff Writer
An elderly woman was killed in a fire that gutted her Kahala home late last night.
Gregory Yamamoto • The Honolulu Advertiser
The fire, at a single-story house at the corner of Hakaka and Kaimanahila streets, was reported about 10:30 p.m. The blaze gutted the home and caused part of the roof to collapse.
Firefighters survey the remains of a Kahala home destroyed by fire last night. an elderly woman died in the blaze, they said.
When firefighters arrived, the house was engulfed by fire and one person was unaccounted for, fire officials said.
It was later discovered that a resident of the house was killed in the fire. Officials identified her as Lilly Honda.
Her husband, Takashi Honda, was taken to Straub Hospital, officials said.
It was the 14th fatality in a structure fire on O'ahu this year.
The fire happened on a night when much of O'ahu was soaked by a steady rain that may have contributed to traffic hazards.
The state Department of Transportation closed the Kane'ohe-bound lanes of Likelike Highway at about 4 p.m. because of hazardous road conditions.
DOT Director Rod Haraga said the road was closed overnight to allow crews to roughen the pavement to ease slick conditions on the curve where traffic exits the Wilson Tunnel. Haraga said he expected the highway to be reopened by this morning.
On the Leeward side, a boulder rolled down a hill at about 3 p.m. and closed a lane of Farrington Highway about one-quarter mile south of Yokohama Bay Beach Park, police said. A state crew removed the boulder from the mauka lane at about 6:30 p.m.
Rain may have loosened the boulder, police said.
Scattered showers are expected today as well as considerable sunshine, followed by a chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon over the interiors of O'ahu and Kaua'i.
Unsettled weather will continue through the New Year's weekend, with increasing clouds tomorrow and showers that will continue through Friday, the National Weather Service said.
Forecasters said wind from the southwest may strengthen beginning late Thursday, and may build to high levels as the weekend approaches.
Yesterday's rain was brought by a series of fast-moving storm systems moving east. When they hit a high-pressure system east-northeast of the state late this week, high wind is expected.
Many parts of O'ahu got a good soaking yesterday, including Honolulu Airport, with 3.61 inches in the 24-hour period ending at 8 p.m.
Mililani received 3.57 inches during that time, Kahuku 2.96 inches and Wai'anae Valley 2.79 inches.
