LIHU‘E — A 44-year-old Hanama‘ulu man died, a Wailua motel suffered fire damage caused by fireworks, and Kaua‘i experienced several events that marked the 248th anniversary of the United States starting Wednesday night and continuing through Thursday night.
While thousands of people celebrated at the Pacific Missile Range Facility, Morale, Welfare and Recreation’s America’s Most West Freedom Festival, firefighters responded to a report of a structure fire on Papaloa Road in Wailua, shortly after 9 p.m. on Wednesday.
On arrival after 9:10 p.m., Kauai Fire Department (KFD) firefighters discovered a nearly extinguished fire on the first floor of the back lanai at a motel. After extinguishing the fire, KFD investigators determined the cause of the fire was accidental due to fireworks that caused an estimated $50,000 in damages.
The PMRF Freedom Fest featured American Idol winner Iam Tongi and was the site of just two publicly-announced fireworks displays.
Both attractions created traffic congestion through the town of Kekaha that greeted the Fourth of July when E Ola Mau Na Leo O Kekaha and the Kekaha Citizens Committee hosted a Family Fun Day, Play Streets event on Thursday morning.
The event attracted a lot of people to a day of fun events, crafters, food, and live entertainment at the Kekaha Neighborhood Center park, and Elepaio Road that was closed for the Play Streets event.
“The traffic through Kekaha was a mess,” said Dennis Eguchi of E Ola Mau. “I was at the base helping to distribute 1,000 watermelons from Aloun Farms. Surveys from previous Freedom Fests show that 60 percent of people attending the Freedom Fest are from the North Shore. We decided we would help the North Shore with free watermelons this year.”
Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami, enjoying the hospitality of the Freedom Fest and the Kekaha community, commented after consulting with a Department of Health coordinator that Kaua‘i is the only county that has a Play Streets program.
But the celebratory events were also marred by a fatal crash.
According to a Kaua‘i Police Department press release, a 44-year-old Hanama‘ulu man suffered fatal injuries following a traffic incident involving a motorcycle on Thursday night.
At about 6:30 p.m. on July 4, a motorcycle traveling eastbound on Kaumuali‘i Highway collided with a 2021 Dodge SUV carrying three occupants. The SUV was traveling westbound and attempting to make a left turn onto Tartar Drive.
The Hanama‘ulu resident, operator of the motorcycle, suffered fatal injuries in the collision. One of the SUV occupants was treated by medics for nonlife-threatening injuries at the scene.
Kaumuali‘i Highway was closed in both directions for about two and a half hours while the KPD Traffic Safety Section conducted an on-scene investigation. Speed appears to be a suspected factor in the crash. The investigation is ongoing.
The accident overlapped the period when Kaua‘i Hospice presented the 32nd Concert in the Sky that, at its peak, saw an estimated crowd of between 10,000 to 12,000 people converge onto the Vidinha Stadium soccer fields.
The crowd enjoyed an afternoon of fun in the Keiki Fun Zone and food from multiple food vendors, including the Kaua‘i Protect Our Nation’s Youth Bronco baseball team fundraising by selling Meadow Gold ice cream and parent-baked products for the team’s trip to play in the Regionals.
Following a 90-minute, including three Hana Hou performances by featured guest artist The Green, people were teased by a passing shower before the fireworks set to music triggered an exodus of people along Ho‘olako Road.
