"Man Down, Man Down"
Honolulu's Bravest - True Brothers In Battle by: Lou Angeli Flirting With Disaster,
(Honolulu, HI) - At 8:13am Saturday morning, as members of Honolulu Fire Department's Third Watch were beginning their 24 hour shift, HFD dispatch reported a structural fire in a downtown high rise.
As part of the pre-determined first alarm assignment, two engines, a truck and battalion chief and aide were dispatched to the building at 1314 South King.
As members of Engine 2 left the Pawaa station, they could already see heavy smoke lifting into the South Honolulu sky. Their report of a working fire placed two more engines and a snorkel on the streets immediately. By the time it was all over, 7 alarms would be dispatched to the First Interstate Building, and one-third of Oahu's on-duty firefighters would do battle with beast 160 feet above terra firma.
Initial radio reports indicated heavy smoke and fire from the top floor of the 16 story high-rise. First in companies went to work immediately as firefighters donned SCBA, and carried high rise packs and forcible entry tools into the building's lobby.
It's there that HFD firefighters encountered the first of many problems. The building's elevators were on the main deck, but two were down for the count, and the remaining elevator rendered useless after just one trip.
Then as first in companies began the step-by-step trek up the stairwells to upper floors, they found that doors leading back into the building were either locked, or in some cases even deadbolted. The same system designed to keep criminals out - kept firefighters out as well, allowing the blaze to progress even further.
By 8:30am, 3 alarms had been requested, and incoming company members formed a human chain from the main floor to the 12th floor staging area to move hose equipment and tools skyward to begin the firefight.
The fire exploded through the 16th floor sealed panes, then fanned by a steady 25mph wind, reversed course moving downward onto the 15th floor. As heavy smoke and hot gases enveloped Engine 2's crew, 58 year old Captain Jeff Young literally pushed his team OFF the fire floor, to the safety of the rehab 2 floors below.
HFD Firefighter Sean Tateishi, with just three weeks on the job, did as his officer ordered. But when Young didn't appear with the others, the rookie firefighter knew something was wrong and immediately returned to the vestibule of the fire floor. Searching through the dense smoke Engine 39
Firefighter Keith Kanno found Young collapsed on the floor. Screaming "Man Down, Man Down", Kanno refused to leave the officer's side.
Within moments other rescuers arrived from the rehab floor, desperately searching through the heavy smoke to find the location of the voice. Acting Captain Aaron Akiona reached through the darkness and found the duo, and moved both quickly to the safety of the floor below. Young's SCBA bottle was empty, and Kanno's was nearly spent. Both were just moments from becoming LODD statistics.
The fire on level 16 raged on, and it wasn't until 11:47 am that Deputy Chief John Clark, placed the fire under control. It would be another 6 hours before the stubborn blaze itself was fully extinguished. The 7 alarm incident called for Level 1 manning, and it was the first time in the history of the Honolulu Fire Department that off-duty personnel received a mandatory call back. In all, 13 engine companies, 7 ladders, 1 rescue company, 1 snorkel, 1 hazmat, 3 battalion chiefs, and executive staff responded to the scene - 125 firefighters in all.
Investigators believe that the fire started in one of two businesses located on the top floor of the First Interstate Building, Lee Sands Hawaii or Honolulu Puka Shell Exchange, a jewelry wholesaler. Both business are owned by the same individual. HFD is being assisted in the forensic investigation by HPD and the ATF. A number of motives are being considered at this time according to Captain Richard Soo, HFD's Public Information Officer.
Of 11 firefighters transported to the hospital, Captain Young was the most seriously injured, having breathed in smoke and superheated gases. He was transported to Queens Medical Center, which is the only Level 1 Trauma Center covering the Hawaiian Islands. Firefighters who suffered burns were transported to the Straub Hospital, also on Oahu. All but Young have been released.
Young's condition has been upgraded from "guarded" to "good" and he is reported to be resting comfortably as his breathing is assisted with a nebulizer. During the rescue effort, Firefighter Kanno suffered 2nd degree burns to the neck and ear while he attempted to share his mask with Young.
"Captain Young is a 34 year veteran of HFD and one of its most colorful members' Captain Soo noted. 'He'll probably need a truck to transport all of the flowers that people from around the islands have sent."
HFD covers the entire island of Oahu with 42 stations and 1138 uniformed personnel. There were 310 firefighters on duty at the time of the Saturday fire. Most of the islands 400 high rises are located in East Honolulu, and current code only requires buildings above 75 feet to be sprinklered. Because it was built before the current code, the First Interstate Building was not sprinklered. In the wake of Hawaii's most serious high rise blaze, changes to that code are on the horizon.
Honolulu Fire Department is the oldest organized fire department west of the Rockies, and will soon celebrate its 150th anniversary. It is a department whose volunteers once included royalty, with King David Kalakaua being an active member for a number of years. Four HFD firefighters were lost during the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
And where was the boss during the commotion? "Biggest fire in Oahu history and Leo missed it." Chief Atillio Leonardi was off-island attending the annual Metro Chiefs Meeting in Miami. send your regards to Captain Young via email. rsoo@co.honolulu.hi.us