BREAKING: 3 Vehicle Fires Overnight Classified as Intentional

By Wendy Osher

Paradise Gardens. Courtesy file photo.

A rash of vehicle fires in Kihei has been classified as intentional after Maui firefighters responded to three incidents within a five hour period.

Officials say the fires were reported between 10 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 11, and 2:23 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 12, 2012.  The incidents include the following:

• The first fire was reported at 10 p.m. on Sunday in the parking lot of the Paradise Gardens condominium complex on South Kihei Road.  The rear section of a white van was burned in the incident. Maui Fire Services Chief Lee Mainaga said bystanders were able to control the blaze with a water hose before crews from Engine 6 arrived on scene.
• A second fire was reported at 12:50 a.m. on Monday at a residence on Namauu Street. Fire officials say a Gold Mercury sedan was fully involved when firefighters arrived on scene. Crews from Engine 6 had the fire under control at 1:05 a.m., and extinguished at 1:22 a.m.
• A third fire was reported at 2:23 a.m. on Monday at the Wailea Hotel property on Kaukahi Street. Fire crews from Engine 14 arrived on scene to find a GM Jeep fully involved, and the fire also impacting a Ford SUV that was parked next to the Jeep. The fires were under control by 2:34 a.m., and extinguished by 2:50 a.m. A fire inspector determined that the Jeep sustained $25,000 in damage, while the Ford Edge SUV sustained $2,500 in fire damage exposure.

FS Chief Mainaga said fires were classified as intentional based on the number of fires occurring within a five hour duration in South Maui.