Fire Department inspectors concluded that the rapid spread and damage caused by the fire at a home on Lalawai Drive were consistent with an accelerant being used to spark the blaze, police said.

The case will remain under investigation until interviews with witnesses and the property owner are completed, and may be reclassified as arson if the findings warrant, police said.

Wife punched, children threatened, police say

Police arrested a 35-year-old man yesterday after he allegedly punched his 39-year-old wife in the face about 9:30 p.m. Monday and threatened to kill five of her children from a previous relationship.

Officers were sent to the couple's Honolulu home and arrested the husband on suspicion of multiple counts of first-degree terroristic threatening and one count of felony abuse of a family or household member.

The abuse offense is normally a misdemeanor but the husband was charged with a felony after police learned he had been convicted three times in the past for abuse offenses.

Neighbor intervenes in attempted burglary

A 44-year-old man with no local address was arrested yesterday after a witness reported seeing him allegedly trying to break into the home of a 30-year-old Kaimuki man.

Police said the witness found the man and detained him until officers arrived at the home on Date Street about 2:30 p.m.

The suspect was arrested on suspicion of attempted first-degree burglary.

Man accused of inappropriate touching

A 37-year-old man was arrested at his Waimanalo home yesterday after two juveniles reported being touched inappropriately by a family member.

Police arrested the man on suspicion of two counts of third-degree sexual assault.

Stepdaughters report sexual assault

A 47-year-old Pearl City man was arrested early yesterday morning in connection with a complaint filed on behalf of his two juvenile stepdaughters, who reported being sexually assaulted by the man on June 5, 2002.