Swift action by Puhi residents early Monday morning prevented their home on Komohana Place from becoming engulfed by flames and kept the fire confined to a bedroom. Hours later, a separate blaze erupted at a South Shore timeshare. Flames leapt
Swift action by Puhi residents early Monday morning prevented their home on Komohana Place from becoming engulfed by flames and kept the fire confined to a bedroom.
Hours later, a separate blaze erupted at a South Shore timeshare. Flames leapt out the windows and lashed at a balcony, hurling thick black smoke into the clear late morning sky.
No injuries were reported in Puhi. A man was treated at the scene in Po‘ipu for smoke inhalation.
In the Puhi incident, a 25-year-old woman was awakened at around 2 a.m. by the smoke and heat emanating from a fan in the bedroom where she and her daughter and niece were sleeping, a county news release states.
The woman woke the girls and rousted her 21-year-old brother who was asleep in another bedroom.
He immediately grabbed a garden hose and doused the fire.
When firefighters and rescue specialists from the Lihu‘e fire station arrived at the scene, the fire was nearly extinguished.
Damage to the bedroom and its contents is estimated at roughly $15,000.
The cause of the fire was a malfunctioning fan in the affected bedroom.
Fire officials commended the Puhi residents for their quick actions, which prevented the fire from spreading.
The cause of the fire which caused an estimated $900,000 at the Po‘ipu Kai timeshare remains under investigation.
A visiting neighbor said the guests are “fine, but shaken up.”
The lower level of the two-bedroom, two-story unit located on the second floor of the Manualoha was completely destroyed and the upper level of the unit also sustained damage, a county news release states. The unit below sustained some water damage while an adjacent apartment sustained smoke and water damage.
Construction workers with Bueno Construction and B&P Construction who were remodeling a unit on the first floor noticed the smoke and attempted to put out the blaze using fire extinguishers, but were unsuccessful.
Ten firefighters and rescue specialists from the Koloa, Lihu‘e and Kalaheo fire stations, along with a battalion chief and two members of the Prevention Bureau, responded to the 11 a.m. alarm.
When the first responders arrived at the scene, the fire had spread throughout the first level of the unit. They took the fire down soon after it reached the second level.
The fire was deemed under control at 11:37 a.m. and fully extinguished at 12:58 p.m., the release says.
Officials reminded the public to ensure that smoke detectors in their residences and businesses are working properly.
“I encourage everyone to take this opportunity to check their smoke detectors,” said Capt. David Bukoski, head of the Kaua‘i Fire Department Prevention Bureau, in the release. “It might be time to change batteries. Preventive measures such as this can save lives.”
Volunteers with the American Red Cross also responded to the Puhi fire. Disaster volunteers met with affected residents and ensured their immediate emergency needs for food, shelter and clothing are met, a news release states.
Caseworkers will continue to follow up with anyone affected in the coming weeks to provide referrals, guidance or additional assistance as needed to help with the recovery process.
The Red Cross encourages all families to make a disaster plan to include an evacuation plan with two different routes of escape, a communications plan to help families reconnect after disaster and a disaster supplies kit that is readily available to aid in a quick evacuation, the release says.
Information on developing a family plan is available at www.redcross.org or a brochure can be requested by calling 734-2101.
• Nathan Eagle, news editor, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 227) or neagle@kauaipubco.com
