KAILUA-KONA — Kealakehe Elementary School was evacuated Monday morning after a brush fire was reported.
Kealakehe Elementary School Principal Nancy Matsukawa said a staff member noticed flames near one of the campus’ buildings and pulled a fire alarm. The school was subsequently evacuated per protocol.
The Hawaii Fire Department received the alarm at 9:06 a.m. and learned en route that the fire had been extinguished. Kailua Fire Station Capt. Sean Summers said that school officials and security personnel using a hose doused the flames.
Firefighters arrived, checked the scene and gave the all clear. Summers said the cause of the fire was undetermined.
Matsukawa said students were back in their classrooms within 45 minutes of the fire being reported. She added that the school is sending students home with letters to notify parents/guardians of the incident.
“It went well,” Matsukawa said of the evacuation of the more than 1,000 pupils who attend the school.