The U.S. Department of Justice is sending dozens of federal agents to Honolulu to help investigate a fire on Young Street that caused a partial roof collapse and claimed the life of a 25-year-old firefighter who served the city with “honor and courage.”
Firefighter Jeffrey Fiala, who was deployed after finishing training in March, died Monday night while responding to a 7:42 p.m. 911 call for a building fire at 1645 Young St. in the Pawaa-McCully area.
Fiala is survived by his wife, Fiona, and his parents, Michael and Kristine.
Four other firefighters injured in the blaze were scheduled to be discharged Tuesday from The Queen’s Medical Center to continue their recovery at home. There was no update on the one injured civilian who was hospitalized.
Honolulu Fire Chief Sheldon K. Hao told reporters at the department’s South Street headquarters Tuesday that Fiala served the county with “honor and courage.”
The surviving firefighters’ physical injuries are “minimal” compared with the trauma created by Fiala’s death.
Teams of firefighters and those trained to deal with trauma, including grief counselors, will visit every single fire station, Hao said. The full support resources of the department and the county will be available to those who need them.
“We are a family. We live together 24/7. We go to battle. It’s no different than your blood family,” said Hao, detailing the brotherhood of firefighters forced to process Fiala’s death. “This tragedy has been truly heartbreaking for all of us.”
“Everyone just loved to be around him,” Hao said, noting Fiala’s enthusiasm and love of the job. Fiala, 25, had a “short career but made a great impact.”
“We ask for your continued compassion and aloha as we all grieve this devastating loss,” said Hao. Fiala had been with HFD for about 18 months.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is supporting HFD’s request for its National Response Team and up to “a few dozen members, in addition to the ATF personnel from our Honolulu Field Office,” to deploy to Honolulu to assist as needed,” Jason R. Chudy, public information officer for the ATF’s Seattle Field Division, told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.
“The National Response team is made up of highly trained special agents, certified fire investigators, engineers, chemists as well as other experts who investigate major fires and explosions. At the request of state and local agencies, the NRT can respond to large-scale fire and explosives incidents anywhere in the U.S., typically within 24 hours,” Chudy said.
This is the third NRT call-out this week alone, and the sixth since the beginning of the fiscal year, which started Oct. 1, said Chudy.
ATF’s National Response Team was the one that prepared the report on the Aug. 8, 2023, Maui fires that killed 102 people and left thousands homeless for the Maui Fire Department to create its origin and cause report.
“We all train to be our very best with the goal of ultimately everyone getting home safely at the end of the day, and as you can imagine, that’s what makes this very difficult,” said Hao, who thanked the public for reaching out with condolences and lauded the work of the Honolulu Police Department and city Emergency Medical Services technicians.
Hao also thanked Mayor Rick Blangiardi and his staff; Kahu Kordell Kekoa; and the staff at both Queen’s and Straub hospitals for the “outpouring of love and support.”
“The HFD will continue to help and support Jeff’s ohana and our work ohana as we honor Jeff’s memory and the sacrifice he made for our community,” Hao said.
Blangiardi issued a statement “mourning the tragic loss of one of our brave firefighters, who made the ultimate sacrifice while heroically serving our city last night.”
“In the early hours of a dangerous fire in McCully, Jeff Fiala, just 25 years old, lost his life in the line of duty during a building collapse,” the mayor said. “A husband and dedicated public servant, he had been with the Honolulu Fire Department for a year and a half, bringing a sense of passion and commitment to protecting our residents.”
Blangiardi said his office will work closely with HFD to “provide the support and resources needed to honor his legacy and assist his family.”
In a statement Tuesday, Gov. Josh Green said: “I am deeply heartbroken to learn of the tragic loss of one of our brave firefighters in the line of duty. This hero selflessly put their life on the line to protect others, embodying the very best of who we are as a community.
“Our hearts are with his family, loved ones and fellow firefighters who were injured during this profoundly difficult time.”
The Honolulu Police Department released a statement via its social medical channels Tuesday saying that HPD’s “prayers are with the family of the brave Honolulu firefighter lost last night and the firefighters who were injured.”
“United in sorrow, we honor the fallen, support the injured, and stand together in service to Honolulu,” read the statement from HPD.
The HFD units arrived at 7:45 p.m. Monday night to find smoke but no flames coming from the two-story residential building, according to HFD officials.
HFD Capt. Jamie Song told KHON and Hawaii News Now that a “mayday” call was issued at 7:58 p.m. because two firefighters were declared missing inside the structure, which had a partial roof collapse.
Song said one of the firefighters was able to get out on his own, but the second firefighter, later identified as Fiala, was “extricated” from the first floor by other firefighters at 8:24 p.m.
Besides the firefighter who died, a civilian and four firefighters were taken in serious condition to the hospital, according to Song.
At 8:29 p.m. HFD called a third alarm, requiring more units and firefighters, and they had the fire under control at 9:07 p.m., according to HFD. The fire was declared extinguished at 11:31 p.m., according to HFD, which responded with 23 units and about 61 personnel.
Police and Honolulu Emergency Medical Services personnel also responded. Police closed Young Street in both directions as emergency crews responded.
Hawaii Red Cross officials said in a statement that volunteers responded to the 10-unit complex, “meeting with affected residents to ensure their immediate emergency needs are met.”
They opened a shelter for displaced residents at the McCully District Park Gymnasium, 831 Pumehana St. The shelter is only for residents affected by the Young Street fire, according to the Honolulu Department of Emergency Management.
“Volunteers will continue to follow up with anyone affected in the coming weeks to provide referrals, guidance or additional assistance as needed to help with the recovery process,” according to the Red Cross.
The last Honolulu firefighter to die in the line of duty was 63-year-old Clifford Meredith Rigsbee. A triathlete and 21-year- HFD veteran, Rigsbee died from injuries he suffered during a rescue watercraft training exercise in June 2016.
