On April 4, 2026, the Honolulu Fire Department (HFD) received a 911 call at 1:02 p.m. for a building fire reported at 94-1166 Polinahe Place in Waipio and responded with 12 units staffed with 38 personnel. While en route to the scene, the first responding officer observed a significant smoke column rising into the air and upgraded the incident to a second-alarm assignment, requesting additional resources before arrival. The first unit arrived on scene at 1:05 p.m. and encountered heavy smoke and flames emanating from the front and both sides of the second floor of a two-story residential house.
Firefighters secured a water supply and initiated an aggressive offensive fire attack on the initial structure as well as used fire fighting streams to protect nearby homes. Initial reports indicated all occupants were out of the main structure which was confirmed during operations. A mayday was declared on the second floor for firefighters low on air; they safely exited through a window using a ladder. Because of the intensity of the fire, both homes adjacent to the main structure sustained damage. Primary and secondary searches confirmed that no occupants were inside the adjacent structures at the time of the incident. The fire was declared under control at 2:32 p.m and extinguished at 3:13 p.m. Firefighters then conducted overhaul operations to extinguish remaining hot spots and check for hidden fire within walls and other void spaces, ensuring the fire had not spread further.
All HFD personnel were accounted for, and no injuries were reported. The American Red Cross was notified to assist residents of two homes that sustained fire damage.
The HFD Fire Investigator was requested to determine the origin and cause of the fire and to assess damage. An update will be provided upon completion of the final investigation report.