Fire officials are investigating the cause of a Wednesday morning structure fire in Volcano.
Responding to the 10:40 a.m. alarm, Hawaii County Fire Department personnel a 1,600-square-foot wooden post-and-pier utility storage building with smoke emanating from under the eves, according to the department. A neighbor, who was watching the structure for its owners who were not home, provided keys allowing firefighters entry to the building located off Pa Alii Street in Royal Hawaiian Estates.
Firefighters were able to quickly extinguish the blaze, which was located in the front area of the structure against a wall. The fire may have been started by a portable stove used as a heat source, however, the official cause remains under investigation.
Firefighters extinguished the fire by 11 a.m., according to the department. No injuries were reported.
The department estimated the loss at $5,000.