Electric golf cart possible cause of house fire

A lithium ion battery charging on an electric golf cart might have ignited a fire that heavily damaged a Waikoloa home early Tuesday morning, according to the Hawaii Fire Department.

According to an HFD statement, dispatchers received the call at 3:07 a.m. The first unit arrived at the home on Malina Street eight minutes later.

Arriving units found about half of the three-bedroom, two bath, 1,200-square-foot home on fire, with the potential to spread to neighboring homes.

All occupants escaped safely, and a house pet was saved from a back room.

The fire was reported under control at 3:25 a.m. and extinguished at 3:35 a.m.

Property loss was estimated at $260,000, with an equal amount of property saved, HFD said.