Woman Missing in Wake of Pahala Blaze

An elderly woman is unaccounted for after a fire consumed a single-family home in Pahala on Saturday.

The Hawai‘i Fire Department, along with County Police, responded to a report of a two-story structure fire at 96-1150 Kamani Street a little before 1:30 p.m. Saturday. Upon arrival, first responders found the downstairs kitchen and the carport, along with a sports utility parked there, engulfed in flames. According to the HFD report, the blaze was infringing on the downstairs of the main residence.

Firefighters encountered a male party who had self-extricated. However, the elderly female remained unaccounted for.

“Due to the size and intensity of the fire, aided by high winds and large fuel load in the residence, fire crews were forced to transition to a defensive attack, which enabled them to contain the fire and damage to the single home,” the HFD report stated.

The property, valued at $375,000, is considered a total loss. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.