Witnesses to a large structure fire Sunday morning in South Kona said flames quickly engulfed the second story of the two-story building.
Aulii Kauhaihao of Ocean View was driving home when she saw the fire in Kainaliu at 79-7393 Mamalahoa Highway, a mixed-use building housing several businesses.
“When I passed it, I could feel the fire on my face,” Kauhaihao told the Tribune-Herald on Monday. “It looked big as I was passing it.
“There was one fire truck there. But they weren’t, like, putting it out yet. I think they also just got there. I was following the first cop who got there, and I didn’t know if I could pull over or go straight through, so I went straight through.
“When I got there, it was engulfed in flames, the top floor was.”
According to a Hawaii Fire Department statement, 25 firefighters and seven volunteer firefighters battled the blaze. The alarm was sounded at 8:27 a.m., with the first unit arriving five minutes later.
The fire was reported under control at 9:35 a.m. and extinguished at 2:54 p.m.
Fire officials reported more than $1.7 million in property damage, and firefighters were able to save approximately $488,800 in property value.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation. No injuries were reported.
The owner of the building is Kamuela Management LLC, a Princeville, Kauai-based company owned by Raymond Miller.
According to police, Mamalahoa Highway (Route 11) was closed to both vehicular and pedestrian traffic between Lehuula Street and Basque Way from 8:33 a.m. to 1:50 p.m. as crews battled the fire and ensured the scene was safe.
Tenants in the building include: PC911, a computer and phone repair business; Moonsun Art Gallery; Hennasphere, which describes itself online as “the ancient art of henna photos”; Lucky Cat Boutique, which sells jewelry and custom-made clothing; Affordable Care LLC, which provides in-home health care; and People Attentive to Children, or PATCH, a nonprofit community service organization aimed at the needs of children.
No nearby properties were damaged, according to firefighters.
Only a rock wall separated the building from Rebel Kitchen, a popular restaurant that was featured on the Food Network television program “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.”
Ryoko Kobayashi lives nearby and walked from her home to photograph the fire.
“When my husband was going to church, he saw the white smoke come out about 8:30, and he called me about the fire,” Kobayashi said. “When I went there, it was just before 8:35 or something. The first picture I took, black smoke was coming out. Then a few minutes later — boom — the fire came out from the window. That was scary. ”
One of the business owners has already set up an online fundraiser at GoFundMe.com.
Daniel Lovejoy, owner of PC911, had raised $4,340 as of late Monday afternoon on his fundraising page, titled “Fire Struck PC911: Assist Daniel Now.”
”I will not be able to reopen in this location,” Lovejoy, who has a fundraising goal of $20,000, said on the page. “Even though I can’t work, the bills don’t stop. I need to pay my current bills, and then I need to see if I can relocate.”
Police are asking anyone with information about the fire to contact Kona Patrol Officer Cal-Jason Hoopai at the police nonemergency number, (808) 935-3311, or at Cal-Jason.Hoopai@hawaiicounty.gov.
Those who prefer anonymity may call Crime Stoppers at (808) 961-8300. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.