LIHU‘E — A small fire and a propane leak nearly caused a major disaster in a Lihu‘e condo late Tuesday afternoon. But three elementary school girls saved the day. “I found the fire,” said Mariana Gayagas, who first noticed the fire
LIHU‘E — A small fire and a propane leak nearly caused a major disaster in a Lihu‘e condo late Tuesday afternoon. But three elementary school girls saved the day.
“I found the fire,” said Mariana Gayagas, who first noticed the fire at the common laundry facility at Lihu‘e Court Townhomes at Kalena Street, behind the Lihu‘e Fire Station, around 5 p.m.
Following what she learned in school, Gayagas told her friends they had to tell an adult.
Terah Kerwin, along with her friend Katie Barreto, ran to her parents home to tell them of the fire.
Kerwin’s parents, former child star Lance Kerwin and his wife, Yvonne Kerwin, ran to the laundry room to see what was happening.
“My daddy got the big extinguisher and put the fire out,” Terah Kerwin said.
Lance Kerwin said that as he put out the fire, he notice a whistling leak in a melted propane hose. He immediately called the Kaua‘i Fire Department, which came shortly thereafter and fixed the problem.
County spokeswoman Sarah Blane said KFD responded to a fire call in the laundry room of Lihu’e Court, but by the time firefighters arrived at the scene, there was no fire. She said it appeared that the fire started because of a spark in the lint in one of the dryers.
The three elementary school children were proud to be the heroes of the day, and recounted their experience as their friends ran around the place — and in between them.
“If my clothes are on fire, I have to stop, drop and roll,” said Barreto, explaining what she learned in school.
After telling their story with a smile on their faces, the young heroes turned around and went back to play with their friends, as if nothing happened. In the background, the fire truck left the property, and the children ran, disappearing in between the buildings.
Blane said accumulated lint is a common cause of fires.
“We’re reminding people to clean their lint screen after each use, and also check the vent behind the dryer,” she said.
The photo caption related to this article was changed to reflect the correct date of the incident, which was Tuesday.
