Vehicle Fire Leads Responders to Engulfed Structure in Pāhoa

Firefighters responded to a report of a vehicle fire on Kamaili Road in Pāhoa early Friday morning, which led them to a burning building, the Hawai‘i Fire Department stated.

Upon arrival at the vehicle fire around 5:45 a.m., firefighters also noticed a structure fire approximately 200 feet further down the road from the car. The car was left burning, the fire department stated, to focus on the fully engulfed building. Additional units were also dispatched to the 30-foot by 30-foot unpermitted structure. No occupants or bystanders were in the area.

The Hawai‘i Police Department closed Kamaili Road for approximately one hour. The fire was extinguished and an overhaul completed. No occupants were found in the structure and the scene was turned over to HPD.

A firefighting unit returned to the initial incident and extinguished the vehicle fire.

The cause of the fires is under investigation.