Honolulu high-rise blaze kills at least three, injures two

[rooster59]

Honolulu high-rise blaze kills at least three, injures two

By Hugh Gentry

 

The Marco Polo apartment building after a fire broke out in it in Honolulu, Hawaii, July 14, 2017. REUTERS/Hugh Gentry

 

HONOLULU (Reuters) - At least three people were killed and two suffered smoke inhalation on Friday as a fire consumed several floors of a 36-story condominium tower in Honolulu, media said.

 

Thick black smoke poured from the building as orange flames raged on several floors and debris fell from windows in images broadcast by bystanders on the Periscope streaming service.

 

More than 100 firefighters battled the blaze, spraying water on flames from nearby balconies as a helicopter circled above, images posted online showed.

 

The fire began on the 26th floor of the Marco Polo high rise building at about 2:15 p.m., spreading to floors above and below, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser newspaper said.

 

The cause of the fire was not immediately known.

 

As many as three people died on the 26th floor, Fire Chief Manuel Neves told a news conference at the scene. He did not provide details of the deaths, the paper said.

 

Emergency responders treated several people, with two taken to a nearby hospital suffering from smoke inhalation, it said, adding that one of the two hospitalized patients was in serious condition, but the other was stable.

 

"Paramedics are expediting emergency treatment with a triage location inside the building," Shayne Enright of the city's Emergency Medical Services department told the paper.

 

Fire officials were also responding to reports of people trapped in their apartments, the paper said, but had not confirmed the number.

 

Evacuees from the building were being accommodated at a nearby park, with volunteers tending them, the Hawaii Red Cross said on social network Twitter.

 

The fire forced the closure of a major road in front of the condominium complex, the Honolulu police department said on Twitter.

In London, at least 80 people were killed when a fire gutted the 24-story Grenfell Tower apartments on June 14.

 

Authorities have opened two major investigations into the blaze, the worst in the British capital since World War Two, and have said criminal charges could be forthcoming.

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-07-15

 

[zaphod reborn]

That condo building should be demolished anyway as it's almost 50 years old.

Edited July 15, 2017 by zaphod reborn

[USNret]

8 minutes ago, zaphod reborn said:

That condo building should be demolished anyway as it's almost 50 years old.

 

In America, buildings are built to last, not to tear down every couple of decades. My home near Honolulu is 40 years old and solid as a rock. The Empire State building is nearly 90 years old.

[snooky]

3 hours ago, USNret said:

 

In America, buildings are built to last, not to tear down every couple of decades. My home near Honolulu is 40 years old and solid as a rock. The Empire State building is nearly 90 years old.

The last apartment I had in the US was in the first apartment building in NJ - built 90 years ago - plus the elevator was still in great working order.  I recently googled the apartment building I grew up in during the 1930's and 1940's, which was built in the 1890's.  It still looks great with a bit of 'facelift' and great entranceway.  Buildings constructed properly with good materials should not need replacing or demolishing just because of age.

There are also many buildings in Europe which are several hundred years old and still doing good.

Edited July 15, 2017 by snooky
wording

[kamahele]

On 7/15/2017 at 2:50 PM, zaphod reborn said:

That condo building should be demolished anyway as it's almost 50 years old.

And your age is? The building is strong, however it was built prior to the requirement for a sprinkler system. After this terrible tragedy, they will no doubt be installing a sprinkler system. I have friends who live in the building and I am quite familiar with the exterior. It is in otherwise good shape.

Edited July 17, 2017 by kamahele