On November 13, 2026, the Honolulu Fire Department (HFD) received a 911 call at 12:26 a.m. for a building fire at 554 Papalani Street in Kailua and responded with 7 units staffed with 26 personnel. The first unit arrived at 12:32 a.m. and found smoke and flames coming from the front of a single-story, residential building.
Fire fighters secured a water supply and initiated an aggressive offensive fire attack with handlines. The fire was brought under control at 12:40 a.m. and extinguished at 12:57 a.m. All four occupants of the home were able to get out safely on their own. Searches for occupants in the structure confirmed that no one was inside. Overhaul techniques were performed to extinguish smoldering materials while looking for hidden fires in void spaces to ensure the fire did not extend into other areas of the building. All HFD personnel were accounted for, and there were no reports of injuries.
The HFD Fire Investigator was requested to determine the origin and cause of the fire and provide damage estimates. Once the final investigation report is completed, an update will be sent out.