Couch blamed in ‘devastating’ Kaimuki fire that killed family pets

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – A Kaimuki couple believes a piece of furniture was likely the cause of a fire that destroyed most of their home and killed their pets.

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The blaze broke out last Friday, and surveillance video caught Quinn and Khristy De Silva’s electric living room couch igniting. After flames spread in a matter of 15 minutes, much of the two-bedroom house was scorched.

“It’s very frustrating, just because you wouldn’t think that a couch would be the reason,” Khristy said.

The De Silvas said a Honolulu Fire Department investigator told them the three-seat reclining couch, which the couple just bought a year ago, was to blame.

The couple added the investigator did not find an issue with the outlet the couch was plugged into.

“It was exactly how it was supposed to be, and that it was definitely the reclining couch that caused the fire because the wiring in the back wasn’t properly encased,” Khristy added.

HNN asked HFD for more details, and the department reported the investigation is not complete, but it encourages consumers to always follow the manufacturer’s recommendations.

“If you do have one of those type of electrical couches, to look into the brand and just to help another family avoid this situation,” Khristy added. “It’s devastating and it’s tragic.”

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The tragedy has the couple warning others, because the blaze not only ruined much of the 90-year-old home Khristy grew up in, it also claimed the lives of their two cats, Oscar and Salem.

“They were so much more to me than just pets. They were like my children and they really got me through some of the hardest points in my life, like losing my mom,” Khristy said.

Khristy’s mother, Melani, died about 10 years ago.

Some of her belongings Khristy kept, including photos, VHS tapes, and journals, also went up in flames.

“Those kind of keepsakes are treasures that I won’t be able to replace,” Khristy added.

Luckily, the couple’s two French bulldogs, Raider and Elle, which were seen on the burning couch in the video, survived the fire. But they suffered extensive injuries, and require costly medical treatment at the vet.

“They’ve been getting care over there, but they’re still battling and we’re still very concerned about them right now,” Quinn shared.

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Loved ones started a GoFundMe for the De Silvas.