Woman allegedly sets fire at home

Police arrested a 23-year-old Pacific Palisades woman for arson after she allegedly set fire to a pile of clothes in her home yesterday morning.

Police arrested the woman at her 2523 Akepa St. address at 5:30 a.m., about 4 1/2 hours after the fire was reported.

Firefighters responded to the townhouse fire at 12:55 a.m. and extinguished the smoldering fire in about 30 minutes, containing the blaze to one room of the three-story, split-level home.

A fire investigator determined that the fire was started by a cigarette lighter, which ignited clothing piled on the bedroom floor, said Fire Capt. Earle Kealoha.

The woman was one of two people who lived at the unit in the house and was home at the time of the fire, Kealoha said. She was not injured.

He said the fire caused $5,500 in damage.

Police released the woman pending further investigation.

Collision kills 1, injures 2 on Big Island

Speed appears to be a factor in a head-on collision that killed one person and injured two others yesterday morning on Queen Kaahumanu Highway in South Kohala, Big Island police said.

The collision happened near the 71-mile marker when a 28-year-old Hilo man driving a 1989 Honda sedan crossed the center line and smashed into a 2010 Kia multi-purpose vehicle at about 1:15 a.m., police said.

Firefighters said it appeared the driver of the Honda was killed in the crash.

A 21-year-old Kailua-Kona woman driving the Kia and a 28-year-old Kamuela man in the passenger seat were taken to North Hawaii Community Hospital in serious condition.

The woman was later flown to the Queen's Medical Center in critical condition.

Both drivers were not wearing seat belts while the front seat passenger was using his, police said.

Waikoloa man, 36, dies after motorcycle crash

A 36-year-old motorcyclist died early yesterday morning from injuries sustained in a crash on Honokohau Road in Kailua-Kona, Big Island police said.

Police identified the victim of the 12:52 a.m. crash as David K. Waipa of Waikoloa. Officers said Waipa was traveling west on Honokohau Road when he struck a curb and was thrown from his 2001 Suzuki motorcycle.

Waipa was pronounced dead at 1:30 a.m. at Kona Community Hospital, police reported. He was not wearing a helmet. Speed and alcohol are also believed to be factors in the crash.

Big Island brush fire forces brief evacuation

Big Island firefighters planned to monitor a 300-acre brush fire that led officials to evacuate two apartment buildings in Waikoloa.

The fire started after 1 p.m. yesterday along Waikoloa Road and was whipped up by high winds, said Battalion Chief Reuben Chun.

About 30 firefighters and volunteers were able to contain about 80 percent of the fire, burning in rugged lava fields, Chun said.

The fire burned near two two-story apartment buildings on Pua Melia Street and the smoke caused residents to be evacuated to Waikoloa School, Chun said.

Waikoloa Road, which was temporarily closed from Queen Kaahumanu Highway to Waikoloa Village, was reopened and residents were allowed back into their homes at about 6 p.m.

Faulty cord caused deadly Pearl City blaze

A short circuit in an electrical extension cord was the source of a fire that killed an 89-year-old woman in Pearl City and caused an estimated $250,000 in damage, fire investigators said.

The fire began in the patio of Lillian Sato's home on Hoolaulea Street at about 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, the fire department said. The Honolulu Medical Examiner's office said yesterday that Sato died of smoke inhalation and thermal burns from the fire.

Fire destroys home in Enchanted Lake

A two-alarm fire destroyed a single-family home last night in Enchanted Lake, causing about $400,000 in damage, a Honolulu Fire Department spokesman said.

Firefighters responded to calls about the fire at 1435 Humuula St. shortly after 7 p.m. and extinguished the blaze by 8:29 p.m., said fire Capt. Earle Kealoha.

Two adults and two teenagers live in the home but were not home at the time, Kealoha said. The cause of the fire is under investigation.