KAILUA-KONA — A person of interest is in police custody after multiple small fires were set Monday morning at various locations in downtown Kailua-Kona.
Starting about 4 a.m., Hawaii Fire Battalion Chief John Whitman said firefighters responded to seven small blazes all within a two-hour period on or near Kuakini Highway.
“Some pyromaniac was lighting fires,” Whitman said.
The first incident was a dumpster ablaze reported on Palani Road. The second was a dumpster fire on Kopiko Street. There were five fires along Kuakini Highway, which included a small brush fire by Henry Street, a dumpster fire by Big Island Honda and a rubbish compactor lit up that spread to nearby brush behind Century 21 Plaza, just south of Kuakini’s intersection with Hualalai Road.
The last call came in around 6 a.m.
Fire crews also received a call about a rubbish fire at 8 a.m. at King Kamehameha Mall on Kuakini Highway.
According to Hawaii Police, a person of interest was taken into custody shortly after the incident on unrelated charges nearby.
The fires caused no major damage to property.