Fire destroys known ‘squatter’ home in Paradise Park on Big Island

The Hawai’i Fire Department responded on Monday afternoon to a blaze at a vacant wood frame home at the corner of Makuʻu Drive and 23rd Avenue in Paradise Park.

The alarm occurred at 5:37 p.m. Crews arrived to find the 1,200-square-foot, single-story home 75 to 100 percent involved with fire, according to the firefighters.

The home was vacant, although neighbors said it was a know “squatter” home. The driveway was cluttered with rubbish and broken vehicles.

Due to the imminent collapse of the structure, defensive strategy was assumed. No nearby structures were threatened.

The fire was contained without spread to other structures or brush. HELCO arrived on scene to
confirm power lines were de-energized.

The cause of the fire is undetermined.