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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted at 12:27 p.m., Wednesday, February 11, 2004

Mother, son die in 'Aiea house fire

By Rod Ohira
Advertiser Staff Writer

A 52-year-old woman and one of her three adult sons died today in an early morning fire that gutted their 'Aiea home.

The woman’s husband, 52, her 82-year-old mother-in-law and another son who were in the L-shaped wooden home at 99-201 Lalani St. when the 2:36 a.m. fire started escaped uninjured. A third son arrived home during the fire.

Damages were estimated at $300,000 to the structure and $50,000 to its contents, said Honolulu Fire Department spokesman Capt. Kenison Tejada.

Police homicide Detective Larry Tamashiro said the fire started in the kitchen where one of the sons was cooking. The fire was spreading by the time it was discovered and the son went to the two-story section of the home to warn his parents, said Tamashiro.

The father told his son to get his grandmother, who was in her first-story bedroom, out of the house.

The body of the woman was discovered by firefighters in her upstairs bedroom. Her 26-year-old son's body was found in an upstairs bathroom.

Neighbors said Harue Nakamoto, the grandmother, lived in the house with her son Steven and his wife, Gay, and their three sons. The son who died is the second eldest of the three boys. Steven Nakamoto is known in the 'Aiea community for his volunteer work as a baseball coach and for field maintenance.

"I'm shocked and saddened," said 15-year-old 'Aiea High School sophomore Reid Nakamura, who plays for Steven Nakamoto's 'Aiea White team in an off-season league. "They are a very caring family."

Teri Wong, who lives at 99-179 Lalani St., called 911 to report the fire.

Wong said she awoke to the sound of "someone throwing glass" and saw the fire. "The whole middle section was a bright orange light that didn't seem like flames," said Wong, who noted the Nakamotos have been her neighbors for over 40 years.

Reach Rod Ohira at 535-8181 or rohira@honoluluadvertiser.com.