Photo Credit: D. Hesse
Hawaiʻi Island Police are investigating a structure fire that occurred at the Kauhale Olu Apartments on Kumula Street in Pepe‘ekeō at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, December 29, 2021.
When police and fire emergency personnel arrived on scene they found a two-story, four-unit apartment structure fully engulfed in flames. The fire was contained around 11:48 a.m.
Three separate families residing in the building were home at the time. 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.
Police are investigating the matter further to determine the cause and circumstances surrounding the blaze.
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.
Police are asking for the public’s assistance with information relative to the fire. Anyone having information is encouraged to call the police department’s non-emergency line at (808) 935-3311.
Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at (808) 961-8300 and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1000. Crime Stoppers is a volunteer program run by ordinary citizens who want to keep their community safe. Crime Stoppers doesn’t record calls or subscribe to caller ID. Crime Stoppers information is kept strictly confidential.