2 people dead, 28 others displaced because of fire at former Puʻuʻeo Poi Factory in Hilo
Two people died in an early morning structure fire Saturday (Nov. 29) at a former poi factory in Hilo. Their identities have not yet been released.
Each victim was found in a different location within the former Puʻuʻeo Poi Factory at 265 Kekūanāoʻa St., which is now a multi-family apartment building. Their bodies were removed by body recovery teams.
Another person — who survived the blaze — was also found and rescued from inside.
A total of 28 residents who called the former poi factory home — most able to get out of the engulfed building on their own — were displaced and are being assisted by the American Red Cross of Hawai’i.
All residents were accounted for; fortunately, no other injuries were reported.
Hawaiʻi Fire Department received a call at 3:59 a.m. Saturday about a fire and people trapped inside at the former Puʻuʻeo Poi Factory.
The first unit arrived at 4:03 a.m. and found the two-story, 1,400-square-foot structure mostly involved with fire, with visible flames coming from all four sides of the now apartment building.
A total of 26 Hawaiʻi Fire Department first responders and three from other agencies with 12 units responded. The on-duty battalion chief immediately established command and firefighters began to attack the blaze, with confinement, control and search as their main objectives.
Ventilation and overhaul of the building were initiated and search efforts for occupants continued once the fire was brought under control by 6:32 a.m.
The blaze was extinguished by 1 p.m. Saturday — about 9 hours after the initial call was received — and the last fire unit was back in quarters by 1:56 p.m.
Hawaiʻi Fire Department reported the fire caused a loss of $500,000; however, firefighters were able to save $117,000 of property.
Screenshot from video of the Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, fire that killed 2 people and displaced 28 others at the former Puʻuʻeo Poi Factory on Kekūanāoʻa Street in Hilo. (Image from video by Joshua Agno, who shared it in the Hilo Happenings Facebook group)- Screenshot from video of the Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, fire that killed 2 people and displaced 28 others at the former Puʻuʻeo Poi Factory on Kekūanāoʻa Street in Hilo. (Image from video by Joshua Agno, who shared it in the Hilo Happenings Facebook group)
- The early Saturday morning blaze Nov. 29, 2025, at the former Puʻuʻeo Poi Factory building on Kekūanāoʻa Street in Hilo can be seen through trees from a location behind the now apartment building. (Photo Courtesy: Kiki Pusey, who shared it in the Hilo Happenings Facebook group)
Once firefighters completed their overhaul after the blaze was extinguished, the scene was turned over to Hawaiʻi Police Department.
Cause of the deadly fire is unknown. It remains under investigation.
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