Kaneohe blaze
leaves 9 homeless

A blaze at a Kaneohe home yesterday, which took 30 firefighters more than two hours to bring under control, left an extended family of nine homeless.

The fire displaced five adults, two teenagers and two children, ages 2 and 7.

Neighbors said the family had lived in the home at 45-058 Waikalua Road for more than 30 years, and several generations were sharing quarters.

"It's very sad," said Bob Broadbent, who lives next to the home. "I'm sure they lost everything."

Throughout the day, neighbors in the small Kaneohe community stopped by the burnt-out home to console the family and offer their support.

"It's a tragedy," said Jake Silva, who grew up in the neighborhood and was visiting friends yesterday. He said he knew the victims of the fire, and was confident that the community would help them rebuild. The family asked for privacy, and declined to speak to the media.

Eleven people, two of them visitors, were in the home when the fire started at about 7:58 a.m. One man, reportedly the last to leave the burning house, suffered smoke inhalation. He was treated at the scene and was not taken to a hospital.

The fire was under control at 9:56 a.m. and extinguished at about 2:30 p.m. with the help of seven fire companies. Firefighters from Kaneohe fire station got to the home in about two minutes.

A federal fire unit in the area also assisted.

Flames shot upwards of 20 feet from the roof, witnesses said. A palm tree in the family's back yard caught on fire, but no nearby homes were damaged.

Honolulu Fire Department spokesman Kenison Tejada said the fire apparently started in a woodworking shed behind the home. People in the house smelled smoke, but initially thought it was coming from a barbecue on a second-level balcony, he added.

Tejada said the fire was difficult to put out because of the layout of the home, which is built on a slope and has a third-story entrance at street level.

Also, the home's roof and second-level floor collapsed in the blaze, making entry into the house dangerous.

The cause of the fire has not yet been determined. Damage to the home is estimated at $340,000.

Much of the contents of the home, estimated at $60,000, was lost. The family is staying with friends, and the American Red Cross of Hawaii has given them food and clothing.