Kīhei Home Fire Causes $300K Damage, 4 Residents Displaced

Kīhei house fire, 3:19 p.m., 11/5/15. Photo credit: Tiana Momoa.

Four people were displaced by a home fire reported on Thursday afternoon, Nov. 5, on Kawailani Circle, in Kīhei.

Fire officials issued an updated report saying damages were estimated at $250,000 to the structure and $50,000 to its contents.

The fire was reported at 3:08 p.m. at a two-story home.  When firefighters arrived on scene at around 3:15 p.m., they found flames coming from a first floor window at the back of the home.

Maui Fire Services Officer Edward Taomoto said flames also spread up into the attic space above it, causing additional damages.

Crews had the fire contained at 3:24 p.m. and extinguished at 6:15 p.m.

FSO Taomoto said one person inside the home at the time of the fire, made it out safely.  The man was reportedly asleep in a downstairs bedroom next to where the fire started.  Fire officials say he was awakened by the sounding of smoke alarms within the home.

“This incident is proof positive that smoke alarms do save lives,” said Fire Chief Jeffrey Murray in a department press release. “Had there been no working smoke alarms, the outcome of this fire could have ended in tragedy.”

National Fire Prevention Week was Oct. 4-10, 2015. This year’s campaign message was, “Hear the beep where you sleep. Every bedroom needs a working smoke alarm.”

The cause of the fire was undetermined and the Red Cross is currently assisting the displaced residents.

• The Maui Fire Department urges the community to have smoke alarms installed in every home and offered the following points to remember:

• Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each separate sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement.
• Interconnect all smoke alarms throughout the home. So, when one sounds, they all do.
• Remember to test smoke alarms monthly and replace them after or sooner if they don’t respond properly in monthly tests.
• Make sure everyone in the home knows the sound of the smoke alarm and understands what to do when they hear it.
• If the smoke alarm sounds, get outside and stay outside. Go to your outside meeting place.
• Call the fire department from outside the home.