A fire at a Puhi flooring company Monday night sent thick clouds of black smoke all the way to downtown Lihu’e, creating an eerie fog on the relatively still night. The fire, which caused substantial damage to Flooring Innovations &
A fire at a Puhi flooring company Monday night sent thick clouds of black smoke all the way to downtown Lihu’e, creating an eerie fog on the relatively still night.
The fire, which caused substantial damage to Flooring Innovations & Interiors at 1810 Haleukana St. in Puhi Industrial Park, burned carpets, plastics, backings and other materials.
These synthetics burned at a high temperature, and created “a very toxic environment,” said Kaua’i Fire Department Battalion Chief Bob Kaden.
Flames were seen coming out of the roof when KFD crews from Lihu’e, Kalaheo and Hanapepe arrived shortly after the 8:38 p.m. call came in, Kaden said.
Firefighters were turned away from the heat at the front of the two-story warehouse, so they initially fought it from behind, he said. Within a half-hour, the fire was under control, but officials didn’t leave the area until after 3 a.m. Tuesday, he added.
Another re-kindling set fire crews back to the scene around 5:30 a.m. Tuesday
One of the things that helped firefighters battle the toxic blaze was self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), a variant of scuba (self-contained underwater breathing apparatus) equipment used by divers.
The SCBA equipment, which includes an individual mask, kept firefighters at the scene from breathing the toxic fumes, and kept them from suffering smoke inhalation, Kaden said.
“Thank goodness the county has provided us with modern equipment (like) the SCBAs so” nobody got sick, said Kaden. Still, “our people are our best asset.”
An employee of the Fresh Island Fish Company, which is next to the flooring company and shares a wall, said the fire did not effect them. “That’s a huge blessing. It didn’t effect our building at all,” although, he said, they are extremely saddened for their neighbors.
On the recorded message at Flooring Innovations and Interiors, a woman’s voice says the firm suffered a “very large fire,” and they were “in the process of evaluating the damages.”
The number for the flooring company’s other neighbor, Menehune Water Company, was busy all day yesterday.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Staff Writer Tom Finnegan may be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) or mailto:tfinnegan@pulitzer.net.
