A kitchen fire today that damaged a third-floor Ala Moana apartment unit was started by a clock radio's electric malfunction, according to the Honolulu Fire Department.

Firefighters responded to the 1:35 p.m. alarm at The Commodore, a four-story walk-up apartment building at 1868 Kahakai Drive, and declared the fire under control 10 minutes later, said HFD Capt. Terry Seelig. Two people live in the unit but no one was at home at the time of the fire.

Damages are estimated at $45,000 to structure and $15,000 to contents.