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UH fire damages
Taco Bell, Pizza Hut
Officials determine the $160,000
By Leila Fujimori
blaze at the Campus Center
was set deliberately
Star-BulletinStudents at the University of Hawaii at Manoa won't be getting their tacos and burritos on campus for up to a year.
A fire early yesterday shut down the Campus Center's Taco Bell, a popular student gathering place, probably until fall 2001, according to Ralph Nakamoto, a manager of Sodexho-Marriott, which operates all food service on campus.
The adjoining Pizza Hut Express, which has its own kitchen, may be able to operate by spring, Nakamoto said. During the school year, about 1,000 students frequent the establishment daily, and the dining hall seats 200.
Taco Bell was taking in $600,000 annually and Pizza Hut $350,000.
Thirty firefighters were called to the scene shortly before 3:30 a.m. at the ground floor of the multistory student activity and dining facility at 2465 Campus Road.
They found a fist-sized hole drilled above the knob of a door leading to the Taco Bell kitchen. The fire was under control by 3:49 a.m.Police are investigating possible entry into the building through doors in the loading dock area.
"We know the fire was maliciously started," said fire Capt. Glenn Solem, who headed the investigation yesterday.
Fire investigators discovered three separate points of ignition in the kitchen, office and storage area, Solem said.
Damage is estimated at $80,000 to the building and $80,000 to the contents.
Arson is also suspected in an April 1997 fire, which struck the Campus Center's second-floor cafeteria kitchen and caused $2 million in damage, said university spokesman Jim Manke.
The cafeteria remained closed for eight months.
Police Detective James Anderson of the Criminal Investigation Division said, "Nothing was taken as far as we can see."
The investigation will continue this week, probably with the insurance company's private investigator. Solem said the Fire Department often relies on the insurance company for any extensive laboratory work.
Building manager Brett Holm, alerted by a fire alarm buzzer in his apartment, rushed to the building, which is closed on weekends.
The UH senior said he and two UH campus security officers entered the building, but the smoke was too thick to see more than three feet ahead.
The two male officers, ages 42 and 61, suffered smoke inhalation and were treated at an area hospital and released.
"It's going to affect a large part of campus life," said Holm, who frequents the spot. "This is the only place you can get mainstream fast food other than cafeteria-style food, which really doesn't appeal to a lot of people."
"It's terrible," said student Young Jun Choi, who was stunned when he arrived at the center yesterday. "I usually talk to other students here at least two or three times a week. I will tell my friends."
The fire did not affect an adjacent game room with arcade, big screen television, pool tables and dart boards. But Holm said that, with no food or drink, it may be harder to draw people there.
Jan Javinar, director of the co-curricular activities programs and services, which manages the center's facilities, said the game room will reopen in a week and the eateries' closure will have no impact on business there.
Nakamoto said Taco Bell and Pizza Hut generate about 25 percent of the center's sales. But students can be accommodated by Sodexho-Marriott's seven other campus locations -- Kahe'ai Cafe, Manoa Gardens, Paradise Palms, Kampus Korner and three portable food locations.
And Nakamoto said they may decide to put more Mexican food items on their menus.
