HONOLULU (KHON2) — Honolulu fire officials have deemed Sunday’s building fire at Makalapa Elementary School was intentionally set.
After further investigation, an HFD fire investigator said a cigarette lighter was used to set several paper items on fire.
HFD responded to the call around 8 p.m. on Sunday, finding a small, single-story wooden structure engulfed with smoke and flames.
Officials controlled the fire by 8:12 p.m. and fully extinguished the flames by 8:47 p.m.
In a letter sent to parents by the Department of Education, the portable classroom involved in Sunday’s fire was the same structure that caught flames in January.
According to the DOE, the fire broke out outside of school hours and on a weekend therefore no students or staff were not present at the time of the incident.
HFD also confirmed there were no injuries.
“Our school administration is also working closely with the Hawaii State Department of Education’s Office of Facilities and Operations to assess the damage and plan for necessary repairs,” said Stephanie Shigemasa, principal of Makalapa Elementary School.
HFD’s fire investigator said the building suffered $153,000 in property damage and $2,000 to the contents.