Maui High School has fourth fire within a year

KAHULUI » Fire officials are investigating a deliberately set fire that damaged a science classroom at Maui High School in Kahului -- the fourth fire at the school within a year.

School Principal Randy Yamanuha said the cost of repairing the classroom will be more than the initial estimate of $75,000.

Yamanuha said an examination of the damage yesterday found problems with the electrical wiring, in addition to burned walls and ceiling. The chemistry classroom was burned late Tuesday night.

Firefighters contained the blaze before it could significantly damage four adjoining classrooms.

Yamanuha said a neighbor noticed the smoke and called authorities.

Fire officials took about 44 minutes to control the blaze after the initial alarm at 10:36 p.m. Tuesday.

Battalion Chief Jeff Shaffer said the fire started outside the building.

There were at least three fires at Maui High last year.

On Aug. 14 an intentionally set fire caused an estimated $250,000 in damage to two social studies classrooms.

A fire outside a portable classroom caused an estimated $1,000 in damage in July, and the school reported a fire in a trash bin in June, a fire official said. It was unknown whether those fires were deliberately set.