Hawaiʻi Island Police are investigating a structure fire that occurred at the Kauhale Olu Apartments on Kumula Street in Pepe‘ekeō on the morning of Wednesday, December 29.
Police and fire emergency personnel arrived on the scene and found a two-story, four-unit apartment structure fully engulfed in flames. The fire was contained a few minutes before noon.
Three separate families residing in the building were home at the time of the fire. Several people sustained injuries either from the fire or while trying to escape, including:
- A 70-year-old female who was treated by HFD personnel on scene and released for minor scrapes to her arm from broken glass while evacuating the building.
- A 38-year-old female who injured her back jumping from a two-story window to the ground to escape the fire. She is listed in stable condition at the hospital. Her three children, a 14-year-old female, nine-year-old female, and a six-year-old female were treated for smoke inhalation and released.
- A 30-year-old male who sustained burns and scrapes from the fire and was transported to the hospital where he was treated and later released.
The estimated damage to the complex from the fire is $500,000. The fire was limited to the V-Building complex that includes four housing units each consisting of two-bedroom, one-bath living quarters.
Hawaiʻi County Police are investigating the matter further to determine the cause and circumstances surrounding the blaze.
Police are encouraging the public to provide any relevant information they may have in regards to the fire by calling the police department’s non-emergency line at (808) 935-3311.
Photo credit: Hawaiʻi County Mayor’s Office
