Two Die in Hilo House Fire

Two bodies were found in the charred rubble of a home at 917 Wainaku Street that was destroyed by fire early Thursday morning.

The identities of the victims and the cause of the fire are still under investigation, according to a Hawaii Police Department Press release Thursday afternoon. Police have ordered autopsies on the bodies to determine the their causes of death.

Firefighters responded at 1:08 a.m. and found the single family residence fully engulfed in flames with a partially collapsed roof.

The home was in an isolated, off-street area at the end of Wainaku Street near Highway 19. Its value was estimated by the Fire Department at $150,000.

Emergency crews at the scene of the Wainaku Street house fire. Photo by Nate Gaddis.

The property is owned by Thomas Kanamu Lanakea and Carolyn C. Lanakea, according to Hawaii County property tax records. However the identity of the victims is still unknown. The police and fire departments are continuing their investigations.

A total of 19 HFD personnel responded to the blaze. Three engines and various other vehicles and equipment were dispatched to the scene.

**Check back for updates on this story.