Honolulu high-rise residents to return to homes

MOST residents will be allowed back into a high-rise apartment building in Honolulu after a fire killed three people.

The Honolulu Fire Department said most residents of the 36-storey Marco Polo building should be able to return home, but three floors will remain closed because of heavy smoke, water and fire damage.

The fire started on the 26th floor on Friday afternoon, forcing residents to evacuate the wave-shaped building near the tourist destination of Waikiki.

Twelve other people were treated for injuries, and five were taken to hospital in a serious condition.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Fire chief Manuel Neves said the Marco Polo is not required to have sprinklers, which he said would have confined the blaze to the unit where it started. The block was built in 1971, before sprinklers were mandatory in high-rises. It contains more than 500 units.

The three people killed were found within the unit where the fire broke out, Mr Neves added.

Karen Hastings was in her 31st floor apartment when she smelled smoke. She ran out to her balcony, looked down, and saw flames five floors below her.

“The fire just blew up and went flying right out the windows,” the 71-year-old said of the first moments of the blaze.

Honolulu mayor Kirk Caldwell said the city needs to look at passing a law requiring older buildings to be retrofitted with sprinklers.

“The biggest argument is the affordability,” Mr Caldwell said. “Residents have to pay. It’s pretty expensive.”