NAWILIWILI — Sparks were flying Thursday morning between County Council members during a heated discussion at the Nawiliwili Council Chambers. But the real fire was in the back of the building.
A large and dark smoke cloud ascended the blue sky a few minutes after 10:30 a.m. after a fire initiated at the baseyard of Honsador Lumber, the chambers’ neighbor.
“They were cutting up a loader machine and the tire caught on fire,” Honsador Safety Manager Larry Stevens said.
The smoke cloud climbed several hundred feet into the sky, giving the impression that it was a large fire. But Stevens downplayed the fire, saying it lasted “probably 15 minutes or so” and workers quickly put it out.
Stevens said landlord Hale Kaua‘i contracted a company to remove a large piece of equipment that has become a safety issue. The heavy machinery, formerly used to manufacture tiles, is rusting away and is surrounded by weeds.
Pacific Concrete Cutting & Coring workers were cutting up a forklift loader with torches near the decaying tile-making facility, when a large tire caught on fire.
The fire was in the back of Honsador, right next to a small waterfall. Stevens said workers dumped water on the tire and rolled it under water.
“Also, that was a good opportunity to have my guys do some little fire-safety training,” he said. “We took some fire extinguishers up there, and I showed them how to hit the base of everything else. It’s all out.”
Stevens said the Kaua‘i Fire Department took 15-20 minutes to show up, and when they did the fire was “pretty much done.”
But County Spokeswoman Sarah Blane had a different story.
“The fire department was notified of the fire at 10:45 a.m. and arrived at 10:54 a.m.,” she said.
Blane said the fire involved a large tire and some hydraulic fluid.
“The fire department used approximately 300 gallons of water to extinguish the fire,” she said. “It was fully extinguished by 11:32 a.m.”
Fire Engine 3 and a small fire truck, plus four Kaua‘i Police Department patrol cars responded to the fire.
Stevens said there were no damages or financial losses.
“Nothing to report over here; we’re all good,” said one of the workers who was torching the loader.
• Léo Azambuja, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) or lazambuja@ thegardenisland.com.
