HONOLULU (AP) — Three people have been hospitalized following a fire that forced the evacuation of dozens of residents from a five-story apartment building in Honolulu.
HONOLULU (AP) — Three people have been hospitalized following a fire that forced the evacuation of dozens of residents from a five-story apartment building in Honolulu.
A 49-year-old man and two women, ages 58 and 88, were taken to a hospital for smoke inhalation after the Sunday morning blaze. They were reported to be in stable condition.
Honolulu Fire Department Capt. David Jenkins said the fire started in a third-story apartment unit.
Firefighters arrived to find heavy smoke and flames coming from the building. They escorted residents to safety and were able to bring the flames under control in about 15 minutes.
Scott Bolt, who lives in the apartment building with his mother, said he had trouble seeing as he tried to escape.
“I awoke to fire and smoke,” Bolt told KHON-TV. “I couldn’t see anything past two feet in front of my face. I ran towards the door, got my mother out of the building first, and after that I told her to go downstairs and notifiy the fire department. I kept the stairwell door open for ventilation to make sure none of the other tenants were choking or in any danger of suffocation.”
Bradford Yamamoto struggled with his six dogs in an effort to get them out of the building.
“They didn’t want to leave, so we just left them on the lanai,” Yamamoto said. “They are on the other side of the building, so we’re pretty sure they are safe.”
The American Red Cross was at the scene helping people displaced by the fire. The Hawaiian Humane Society was called in to assist with pets.
The cause of the fire has not been determined.