A three-alarm building fire ripped through a structure in Waipahu on Thursday afternoon, drawing a major response from local fire crews and paramedics as stunned neighbors watched from nearby. Flames were already punching out from the building's exterior when the first units pulled up shortly after 1:30 p.m., and residents clustered along Awalai Street as firefighters worked to knock the blaze down.
According to Hawaii News Now, the Honolulu Fire Department classified the blaze at 94-1048 Awalai St. as a three-alarm building fire, and Honolulu Emergency Medical Services also responded to the scene. Investigators are expected to determine what sparked the fire and calculate the estimated damage once the site is safe to enter.
HFD Record Shows String Of Recent Waipahu Blazes
The Honolulu Fire Department has logged several building fires in Waipahu over the past year, some involving vacant or abandoned structures, according to department news releases. An HFD update from June 2025 classified one Waipahu house fire as incendiary after an accelerant-detection canine alerted investigators, and other HFD reports show multi-unit responses to additional building fires in the area earlier this year. Honolulu Fire Department records document those incidents.
Officials Push Owners To Lock Down Vacant Buildings
HFD officials have repeatedly warned that unsecured, vacant buildings can draw trespassers and boost the odds of a dangerous fire, guidance the department repeated after earlier Waipahu blazes, according to Hawaii News Now. The department urges property owners to lock, board, or otherwise barricade empty buildings, and advises residents to call 911 if they see suspicious activity around vacant structures.
So far, officials have not released information about any injuries or a damage estimate from Thursday's fire. Investigators are expected to announce a cause and cost estimate after a formal probe, and additional details will likely follow from the Honolulu Fire Department or other authorities.
