Ewa Beach carport fire caused by faulty SUV battery, HFD says
Jan. 2—A Honolulu Fire Department investigation determined that a Ewa Beach housing complex carport blaze that spread to multiple units was caused when the battery terminal of a 2017 Toyota Rav4 caught fire.
HFD said that make and model of the Toyota Rav4 had been subject to a November recall due to defective battery terminals that could cause fires.
The fire happened early Sunday on Hanapouli Circle in Ewa Beach. HFD received a 911 call at 12:09 a.m. and responded with 10 units staffed with 35 personnel, who had the blaze extinguished at 1:47 a.m.
The fire began in the carport but spread to the units above. No one was injured.
The damage estimate is $901,000 to the property and $50,000 to the contents. There was also an additional $4,000 in damage to the cars in the adjacent carport and paint on the structure directly across from the structure that caught fire, HFD said Monday.
