A firefighter died and five people were injured on Monday after flames engulfed a building in Honolulu and caused the roof to partly collapse, the authorities in Hawaii said.
The firefighter, 25, was killed after emergency responders were called to a building in the McCully-Moiliili neighborhood of Honolulu before 8 p.m., fire officials said in a news conference Monday evening. The cause of the blaze was unclear, and officials said they were still investigating.
“It’s a very difficult time for us,” said Chief Sheldon K. Hao of the Honolulu Fire Department, who added that four other firefighters were being kept overnight in a hospital. “It’s a very difficult time for us, and we just ask for your prayers and support.”
Officials described a harrowing scene at the building. As crews battled the blaze, two firefighters were declared missing, Capt. Jaimie Song of the Honolulu Fire Department told local reporters. One escaped shortly after, while the second was rescued by fellow firefighters after the roof partly collapsed, Captain Song said.
The flames engulfed the roof of the building, according to footage captured by Khon2, a local TV news station. One civilian was also taken to the hospital and was in serious condition, Captain Song said.
The fire came days after fireworks at another Honolulu home caused an explosion that killed four people, including a 3-year-old boy who died on Monday.
“We’re off to a tough start this year,” Mayor Rick Blangiardi of Honolulu said, pointing to the fireworks explosion that occurred during New Year’s celebrations. Praising the courage of emergency responders, he called the loss of a firefighter “a somber moment.”
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