Man who died in Wild Ginger Inn fire in Hilo was a tenant, police say

The man who died Oct. 22 in the Wild Ginger Inn fire in Hilo has been identified as 66-year-old Gerald James O’Grady, a tenant in the building, Hawaiʻi Island police said.

An autopsy was performed and final results are still pending. But police and the Hawai’i Fire Department investigators do not suspect foul play, according to the police in a news release.

The fire destroyed the 12,000-square-foot, 2-story commercial building. At the time of the fire, eight rooms were occupied. Everyone else was able to get out safely.

A portion of the Wild Ginger Hotel, which was built in 1911, already was closed because it was falling into a nearby gulch, fire officials said.

Police ask anyone with information about this case to call Detective Robert Kamau with the Area I Criminal Investigation Section at 808-961-2384 or Robert.Kamau@hawaiicounty.gov or call the police department’s non-emergency number at 808-935-3311.