A Tuesday morning fire in the Hilo Domino’s Pizza store appeared to be electrical in nature, according to the Hawaii County fire inspector’s office.
“The fire was not suspiciously set, and the location has been secured,” Battalion Chief Robert Perreira said Tuesday afternoon. “It looks to be an electrical fire. It looked like some computer equipment or power strip or electrical extension cord that was powering the computer equipment in the back of the establishment.”
It was unclear how long the only Hilo Domino’s location, which is on Kilauea Avenue in downtown Hilo, would remain closed. A Big Island Domino’s manager referred questions to a Honolulu spokeswoman, who didn’t return a telephone call and email by press time.
Domino’s is in Kilauea Plaza, a building that also houses several other businesses.
The building’s other businesses were open late Thursday morning. The front door to Domino’s was open, but yellow fire barricade tape was placed across the entrance. The scent of smoke was still present as were soot-like marks on the walls.
“There was definitely some smoke that spread to the other businesses in that building,” Perreira said. “They share a ceiling; it’s a false ceiling, a drop ceiling. So any smoke that goes into the ceiling is spread into the neighboring businesses, so they did have some smell of smoke in the other businesses.”
The fire, which was reported at 6:53 a.m., also knocked out phone service to the popular national pizza delivery chain store.
Clayton Aina, manager at the Goodyear Auto Service Center next door, said he was in the process of opening for the day when a homeless man ran up to him and asked him to call 911.
“He said, ‘Domino’s is on fire,’” Aina said. “I could smell smoke, and I could see the smoke coming out, but I didn’t see the fire.”
According to a written Fire Department statement, smoke was rising from the roof vent when firefighters arrived at 6:57 a.m. Firefighter made a forced entry into the business, which was closed, through the back door.
The fire was reported under control at 7:07 a.m. and extinguished at 7:15 a.m.
The blaze did $160,000 in damage to the building and contents, but an estimated $1.6 million in property value was saved by firefighters.
The property manager, Aaron Hatada of Day-Lum Rentals & Management, said the building is insured.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.