Honolulu Storage Fire Ruled Accidental

Last Wednesday, at approximately 4:26 p.m., the Honolulu Fire Department (HFD) responded to a fire at a self-storage building near 348 Puuhale Road in Kalihi. There, the crews discovered smoke coming from the building. They began an aggressive fire attack and brought the fire under control at within the hour.

HFD investigators have classified the cause of a fire as accidental, stating that the ignition source was a candle that had ignited items in the storage unit. The damage estimate for the incident is $205,000 to the property and $80,000 to the contents.

Officials state that the facility had fire sprinklers that had activated prior to the arrival of HFD that assisted with preventing the spread of fire damage, and they would like to remind the public, and facility owners, of the importance of sprinklers, stating:

• Sprinklers can reduce the heat, flames, and smoke produced in a fire, allowing people more time to escape.
• A home fire sprinkler can control or put out a fire with a fraction of the water that would be used by a fire department hose.