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Police, Fire, Courts



By Star-Bulletin staff

LEEWARD OAHU
Female passenger dies in Waianae crash

Speed was a factor in a one-car crash in Waianae yesterday that killed a woman.

The crash happened about 1:10 p.m. when a 41-year-old Waianae man was traveling east on Paakea Road, near the intersection with Apana Road.

Police said the man had passed one car and was trying to pass a second when he lost control and hit a utility pole. His female passenger, whose age and address were not released last night, suffered massive head and chest injuries in the crash and later died.

The driver also sustained extensive injuries and was taken to the Queen's Medical Center in critical condition. Police said it is still unknown whether alcohol and drugs were involved in the crash.

The woman was wearing a seat belt. Police could not determine if the man was also wearing one, but said the car's airbags did deploy.

The traffic fatality is Oahu's 53rd so far this year, compared with 41 at the same time last year.

Firefighters keep eye on Nanakuli brush fire

About 100 city and federal firefighters were posted in housing areas around Nanakuli last night, watching to make sure a brush fire started earlier in the day by an arcing transmission line did not get out of control.

The biggest worry, though, was not that the fire would approach homes, but that it would stretch up Palehua Ridge and into densely forested areas, sparking a potentially massive forest fire.

By about 9 p.m. last night, the blaze had burned about 300 acres in Nanakuli Valley and was moving downhill. No homes or structures were being threatened, said Honolulu Fire Department spokesman Capt. Kenison Tejada.

The fire started at 1:30 p.m. about three-quarters of a mile up Nanakuli Valley on the east side of Nanakuli High and Intermediate School.

Due to the lack of water on the mountainside, water drops from Air One and brush beaters were used to control the flames. Winds that picked up about sunset fanned the flames.

"We've been fighting it all day," Tejada said. "Now, it's flared up."

He said there were about 25 firetrucks in the area, seven of which were federal units. Another six HFD trucks were at area stations.

No one was fighting the fire last night because it was too hard to get to. Instead, firefighters were put at the ready -- in housing areas and nearby fire stations -- if the blaze got out of control.

Tejada said Air One will start water drops again this morning. The Fire Department has also requested helicopters from the federal fire department and state Department of Land and Natural Resources.