Suspicious fires damage
By Gary T. Kubota
Lahaina buildings
Star-BulletinLAHAINA -- In Lahaina town where historic wooden buildings stand often a few feet from each other, some residents and business owners fear becoming victims of random acts of arson.
Two suspicious fires took place in separate locations within hours of each other yesterday morning, police Detective Joseph Higgins said.
One fire occurred near a public parking lot in the back of Moose McGillycuddy's restaurant at 2:41 a.m. and another behind a retail building at 780 Front St. at 5:02 a.m.
While the first fire was isolated and took place away from any structures, the second burned a rear section of the retail building and caused more than an estimated $410,000 in damages, shop owners said.
Store owners say the damage could have been considerably worse without a fire alarm system and could have spread to other wooden buildings.
"It's just frightening to think an arsonist is on the loose. Thank God the building is still standing," said Jody Fousec, an owner of the master lease to the retail building at 780 Front St.
The store declaring the most in losses was the Thomas Kincaid Art Gallery, where the estimated damage to the paintings alone totaled $300,000. "It's a shame," said Rori Blond, the gallery's customer service manager.
The fire at the retail building also caused $60,000 in estimated damages to Sunspots and $50,000 to Leola's Family Funwear and Shell Shop, store owners said.
Owners at South Seas Trading Post and Whaler's Locker were still evaluating losses.
Higgins said police detectives are investigating the fires but have no suspects. He said based on the pattern of the flames against the wall of the retail complex, a flammable liquid was used to start the fire.
The fire burned a wooden Dumpster, used to gather cardboard for recycling, and apparently spread to a Sunspots office and rest room, owners said.
