Waikiki hotel fire no illusion;
magic performance postponed

By Harold Morse
and Lori Tighe
Star-Bulletin

The show did not go on last night at the Waikiki Beachcomber Hotel.

The Magic of Polynesia was canceled due to a fire at the showroom's entrance, but will most likely resume tonight or tomorrow.

Fire investigators believe wires in the faux cave entrance to the showroom began the fire.

Two hotel employees preparing for the show suffered smoke inhalation after the fire erupted at 4:15 p.m. The men, age 33 and 51, were treated at Queen's Hospital and released. They were reportedly in good condition.

Damage to the building was estimated at $200,000, with an additional $150,000 loss to the contents, according to Capt. Richard Soo, Fire Department spokesman.

The fire blackened the ceiling of the showroom front entrance on the second floor of the Beachcomber at 2300 Kalakaua Ave., Soo said.

Eight fire units responded to the fire, which snarled Kalakaua Avenue traffic.

Soo said the 4:16 p.m. fire was discovered by the employees when they noticed smoke near the showroom entrance. The sprinkler system activated and seemed to douse the fire but created billowing clouds of smoke.

The fire was under control at 4:44 p.m. and extinguished at 5:11.