Investigators can’t find cause for deadly Honolulu blaze

HONOLULU — Honolulu investigators can’t determine the cause of a deadly high-rise apartment building fire that resulted in more than $107 million in damage, fire officials said.

“The HFD fire investigators have completed an extensive and scientifically based investigation in full collaboration with other agencies and have classified the fire cause as undetermined,” Fire Chief Manuel Neves said at a news conference Monday.

“Fire investigators have determined the fire began in the living room of unit 2602. However, due to extensive damage, the exact location and manner in which the fire began could not be ascertained,” he said.

Neves said investigators have been able to rule out some causes of the fire. There was no indication the fire was intentionally set, there’s no evidence of ignitable liquids, and cooking wasn’t to blame, he said.

There was no evidence that there was a drug lab in the apartment, and no drug paraphernalia was found, Neves added.

Investigators have not been able to rule out items found in the living room as an accidental cause of the fire: a compressed gas cylinder, a wand-type lighter, a possible butane cylinder, an air conditioning unit, a desk computer, several electrical outlets, and several electrical devices, possibly a laptop computer and a home router, he said.

They also couldn’t rule out smoking-related activities as an accidental cause, Neves said.

Investigators could always reopen the probe if any new information comes to light, he said.

Three people died in the July 14 fire, and another person died weeks later from complications, Neves said. Thirty units were totally destroyed. Another 50 units had fire, heat or smoke damage.