35 firefighters work against Waiawa blaze

About 35 firefighters worked most of the day yesterday on controlling a 350-acre wildfire in a remote area on Waiawa Ridge that started Wednesday afternoon.

The fire, of unknown origin, was mostly contained, and firefighters suspended operations at dark yesterday, said fire Capt. Terry Seelig.

Two city bulldozers helped build firebreaks, and a fire helicopter assisted. No one has been injured and no property is threatened, Seelig said.

The blaze closed H-2 freeway in both directions for about a hour Wednesday night when strong winds fanned the fire. Rain helped firefighters control the flames, Seelig said.

Molokai brush fire contained after 5 days

State and county firefighters have contained a brush fire that threatened houses and native forests in Central Molokai for several days, including the Kamakou Preserve maintained by the Nature Conservancy.

“;I think it's completely contained,”; said Ed Misaki, an official with the Nature Conservancy. “;It just needs a mop-up.”;

County firefighters have contained the brush fire at lower elevations, where they were putting out hot spots.

The fire began at noon Saturday and burned an estimated 8,000 acres.

Fire officials were continuing to investigate the cause of the fire.

Wailuku driver dies a day after collision

An 83-year-old Wailuku man died Wednesday from injuries suffered when his car crashed into a pickup truck in Kahului a day earlier.

Katsuto E. Saiki was pronounced dead at Maui Memorial Medical Center at 4:50 p.m. Wednesday, county officials said yesterday.

The accident occurred Tuesday at 10:33 a.m. when Saiki, heading south on Kahului Beach Road in his Nissan sedan, turned left to the boat ramp and collided with a Toyota Tacoma heading north.

The driver of the Toyota, a 42-year-old man from Pukalani, was not seriously injured. Both men were wearing their seat belts.

It was the 12th traffic-related fatality this year in Maui County, compared with 14 at the same time last year.

Body ID'd as man missing since June

The city medical examiner has identified the 59-year-old man whose decomposed body was found Aug. 21 as Daniel Sang Guk Lee, who had been missing since June.

Firefighters doing rappelling exercises came across the body in a gulch below Pali Highway.

A determination of the cause of death is being deferred until additional test results are known, officials from the Medical Examiner's Office said yesterday.