‘It’s a tragedy’: Makakilo house fire claims life of 83-year-old man
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – An 83-year-old man died early Monday after a fire destroyed his two-story home on Nenelea Street in Makakilo.
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Firefighters received a 911 call at 4:25 a.m. and arrived to find heavy smoke and flames.
“We woke up about 4 o clock to people yelling for help. Came out opened the door. Flames were already coming out of the top area of the house,” said neighbor Tina Lau.
HFD quickly called for second-alarm crews.
Once it was safe to enter, firefighters searched the home and located the man unconscious on the second floor.
“We knew the husband sleeps up there so there was probably not a chance he could get out,” Lau said.
Honolulu Emergency Medical Services pronounced the man dead at the scene. His identity has not been released.
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A 77-year-old woman escaped the fire and was treated for smoke inhalation. Neighbors told Hawaii News Now she is the victim’s wife.
“She was in another bedroom because she sleeps with AC, the husband doesn’t use AC,” Lau said. “She smelled the smoke, tried to come out, the smoke had already inflamed the house. She came out from the side door and she was able to get out safely.”
HFD brought the fire under control at 4:56 a.m. and declared it extinguished at 6:14 a.m.
The cause of the fire and a damage estimate are still pending. But the impact to this neighborhood is unquestionable.
“We’ve lived here for 40 years, known them for 40 years. Really nice couple. It’s a tragedy. It really is that something can happen that fast. And to see something be destroyed, a lifetime of a home be destroyed in moments, it really touches our hearts,” Lau said.
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