Water from a broken fire hydrant poured into Lees Furniture on Rice Street in Lihu‘e yesterday morning, damaging furniture on both the ground floor and basement of the business. A vehicle took out three trees and the hydrant before coming
Water from a broken fire hydrant poured into Lees Furniture on Rice Street in Lihu‘e yesterday morning, damaging furniture on both the ground floor and basement of the business.
A vehicle took out three trees and the hydrant before coming to rest against a telephone pole in a one-car accident that required the driver to be taken to the Wilcox Memorial Hospital emergency room for treatment.
The condition of the driver was not known at presstime last night.
Juan Lugo, general manager of Lee’s Furniture, said the water caused “extensive” damage, and forced the store to close.
The accident occurred at 9:42 a.m. yesterday, and it wasn’t until after 10:30 a.m. that a county Department of Water crew was able to shut off the gusher, Lugo said.
“It’s incredible,” Lugo said of the damage to furniture caused by the water. The store’s insurance agent arrives at the store today, he said.
The damage may have been worse, but one DOW worker drove a truck over the gusher to prevent more water from going into the store, Lugo said.
That was only a short-term fix, though, as the truck had to move in order for DOW workers to cap the gusher, he said.
Lugo also had high praise for Kaua‘i Fire Department personnel, who helped clean up after the water was shut off.
He wasn’t sure when the store might re-open.
