HILO — No injuries were reported Tuesday morning after a series of explosions engulfed a house in flames in southern Hilo.
Neighbors reported hearing loud explosions shortly before 3 a.m. Tuesday, minutes before flames consumed a residence at 60 Kapaka St.
“I heard a boom, then a second boom, then a series of booms,” said Marcia Prose, who lives nearby. “When I looked out the window to see what it was, I saw flames rising across the street.”
Prose’s description of the event matched that of Alika Thoene, who lives next to the now-destroyed residence.
“I thought the whole house went up,” Thoene said.
Thoene, who has lived in the area 23 years, said there was only one occupant of the destroyed residence, who escaped the blaze safely.
“It smelled horrible,” Prose said. “Things were burning there that weren’t meant to be burned.”
The front of the affected residence was gutted, with the blaze evidently severely damaging two vehicles parked in front of the residence. A portion of the building farther from the street appeared to have sustained less damage, but still bore signs of smoke and fire damage.
County tax records indicate the property is owned by two people, Dale and Laura Kimoto.
Despite requests for comment, the county did not confirm whether either one was living in the residence when the fire began.
Prose said responders arrived at the scene within minutes of the fire beginning and had largely extinguished the blaze within an hour.