Hawaii House Fire Hurts Two, Displaces Six

March 14, 2012
Two people went to the hospital and a family of six was displaced after a fire in a two-story home in Waipahu this morning.

March 13--Two people went to the hospital and a family of six was displaced after a fire in a two-story home in Waipahu this morning.

Firefighters responded to the fire on Kahuaina Street at 8:13 a.m. and contained the blaze to one of four rental units in the home.

Neighbors used garden hoses to try to extinguish the fire, according to Honolulu Fire Department spokesman Capt. Terry Seelig.

Firefighters had the fire under control at 8:23 a.m. and extinguished five minutes later.

An extended family of six-- four adults and two children-- live in the ground-floor unit that caught fire. Seelig said. Paramedics took a man in his 20s with minor burns and a woman in her 70s with respiratory problems to a hospital.

Seelig said there were no smoke alarms in the two-story home. "We always advise residents to get a smoke alarm," he said.

The American Red Cross is assisting the family with temporary housing.

Damage to the rental unit was estimated at $50,000. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

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Correction: An earlier version of this story said nine people were left homeless, the male victim was a teenager, and the damage estimate was $70,000.

Copyright 2012 - The Honolulu Star-Advertiser

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