Pāhoa Fire Destroys Historic Building, Residences

Big Island Volunteer Ui Soares sets up Red Cross Canteen. Red Cross photo.

At 7:11 a.m., the American Red Cross sent out a press release stating that volunteers responded to an early-morning fire occurred on Pāhoa Valley Road in Pāhoa shortly after midnight on Monday, Jan. 16.

Hawai‘i Island fire personnel arrived on the scene at Akebono Theater and Luquin’s Mexican Restaurant to find them fully engulfed in flames.

The Red Cross reports that the fire destroyed four apartment residences.

Pāhoa Government Road is closed from Kaleo’s Restaurant to the Pāhoa Community Center on Kauhale Street.

Big Island Red Cross volunteers are continuing efforts to meet with the affected residents and provide assistance with immediate emergency needs.

The Red Cross also set up a canteen for first responders and displaced residents.

More information will be posted as it becomes available.

Anyone with photos of the fire or its aftermath can email them to SHAREit@BigIslandNow.com.