‘Breaks my heart’: South Kona community reacts after fire destroys old bowling alley
The love of Anna Pacatang’s life took her to the old bowling alley in Kainaliu located on Māmalahoa Highway, also known as Hawai‘i Belt Road or Highway 11, for their first date in April 1969.
“Looking up at the old bowling alley each time I passed through Kainaliu always held sweet memories in my heart,” wrote Pacatang in a comment on a video posted Sunday in a Facebook group.
She and many other community members were saddened to learn that the building — a landmark in the South Kona community — where so many special memories were made is now just a charred shell of its former self.
Now when Pacatang passes by, her memory of that first date will be one of the only things still 100% standing at the old bowling alley after the destruction wrought there Sunday by a raging fire.
Smoke billowed thickly from the building as the blaze consumed the structure in the video on which she commented.
More than 20 Hawai‘i Fire Department firefighters and 7 volunteer firefighters with 6 fire engines from multiple companies, as well as a battalion chief, responded to the blaze reported at 8:27 a.m. Sunday.
The first unit arrived by 8:32 a.m. at the 2-story, 12,000-square-foot mixed occupancy building, located at 79-7393 Māmalahoa Highway, in the community of about 1,600 people, 9 miles southeast — or about a 15-minute drive — from Kailua-Kona.
Flames were visible coming from the second story when firefighters arrived, along with heavy smoke.
The building now houses businesses and rental housing. The Fire Department did not identify any of the businesses housed inside the building nor confirm it was the the old bowling alley.
Several social media posts and comments reported the historic building was in fact the old bowling alley and situated between Blue Ginger Gallery and Rebel Kitchen, across the street from Oshima Surf.
Aloha Theatre is also a neighbor just up the street.
A quick search on Google Maps revealed Moonsun Art Gallery, home health care service Americare Hawai‘i and computer repair service PC911 are tenants of the building.
Firefighters were able to get the blaze under control by 9:35 a.m. It was fully extinguished just more than 3 hours later at 12:54 p.m.
There were no injuries to occupants or first responders.
Hawai‘i Fire Department reported there was no damage noted to other structures exposed to the fire.
The old bowling alley building is owned by Kamuela Management and was insured.
Total damages were estimated at $1,763.200, with $488,800 in property able to be saved.
Fire Department personnel before clearing the scene also helped the owner of one of the businesses located inside the charred building remove content.
Three Hawai‘i Police Department officers assisted with traffic and pedestrian control around the site of the fire. The highway between Basques Way and Honuaino Street was closed while firefighters battled the blaze.
A Hawai‘i Fire Department investigator arrived after the fire was brought under control.
Portion of a screenshot of an image from the Hawai‘i Island Radio Scanner Community group on Facebook of smoke billowing Sunday morning from the old bowling alley building in Kainaliu, South Kona, as a fire rages inside and firefighters work to extinguish the blaze.- Portion of a screenshot of a photo shared by Shannon Rudolph on Facebook of the fire that ravaged the old bowling alley Sunday morning on Māmalahoa Highway in Kainaliu, South Kona, as dark smoke billows from the building and firefighters work to battle the blaze.
Hawaiian Electric was on scene to secure utility lines in the area.
A total of 32 personnel, including Hawaiian Electric employees, responded to the fire.
Spectrum crews also arrived later to restore internet service in Kainaliu after the blaze caused an outage.
The fire remains under investigation.
“Oh my goodness!” exclaimed Anna Saxton in a comment on a video post in a Facebook group showing smoke billowing from the building and firefighters responding to the blaze. “The bowling alley (sad face emoji). So many good memories there! Praying nobody got hurt! (praying hands emoji)”
Jasmin Lee McCracken started her comment on the same thread simply with “Noooooo,” followed by three crying face emojis.
“Omg another landmark destroyed,” commented Momilani Tawater Spencer.
Many others echoed hopes that those who lived in the building were safe and sadness that the landmark was destroyed.
“Breaks my heart,” commented Marcie Barber Phares.
Aloha Theatre said Sunday afternoon that its building and costume/prop storage were unaffected by the fire and it’s ready to help where and when needed.
“We are in communication to see how we can support our community at this time,” said the theatre in a Facebook post.
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