Fire officials are investigating the cause of a Monday evening structure fire in North Kohala.
Responding to the 6:23 p.m. report, firefighters found a two-story home at 52-4755 Akoni Pule Highway with black and gray smoke emanating from eaves of a garage, according to the Hawaii County Police Department. Upon opening the garage door, firefighters found a fire burning a 9-square-foot area located near one dozen, 1-gallon paint cans.
Firefighters were able knock down the blaze within 10 minutes of opening the garage, according to the department. The fire was declared out at 7 p.m.
The department estimated damage to the structure at $5,000. No injuries were reported. The home’s owners reside on the mainland and were not present at the time of the fire, according to the department.