KAHULUI - A Kahului home was destroyed early Saturday in a fire that was started by a young child playing with a lighter, county officials said.
Terryn Cabigas was at her job as a 911 dispatcher for the Maui Police Department when her co-worker received a call about a home that was fully engulfed in flames on Lono Avenue.
"Instantly, I knew it was our home," she said.
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The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photo
A Kahului home was destroyed in an early-morning house fire Saturday.
At home when the fire broke out were Cabigas' 71-year-old mother-in-law and sons Ekolu, 5, and Caleb, 4.
Eight minutes after the 12:01 a.m. alarm, firefighters arrived at 454 Lono Ave. and found the three-bedroom house already engulfed in flames.
The two children and their grandmother managed to escape without injuries, but the home was destroyed, along with the family's SUV and truck. An attached garage and separate cottage were not damaged.
The blaze was brought under control within the hour and extinguished by 3:32 a.m.
Battalion Chief Sheldon Holokai said the fire was ruled accidental and that it had begun in the house bathroom.
Cabigas said Saturday that her husband, Cornelio, grew up in the home and was too distraught to return to the scene.
When the fire was first reported, Cabigas was working, but said another dispatcher fielded the call. Panic set in when a Maui police officer called her to confirm that the home was hers.
Cabigas said her co-workers and supervisor rushed to support and comfort her, and, concerned she was too upset to drive safely, made her call her parents to bring her to the scene.
She later learned that her husband had left the house for a walk before the fire broke out.
The Cabigas family had been out and about for most of the Kamehameha Day holiday Friday, and both boys had taken late-afternoon naps.
So they were still up at midnight when Ekolu was the first one to notice flames in the bathroom while he was watching television.
He called out to his brother and grandmother and together they fled the house, with Ekolu running out to Lono Avenue, where he managed to flag down a police officer who was driving by.
Cabigas said her son attributed his actions to what he had learned from Fire Prevention Bureau officials during a visit to his kindergarten class this past school year. Among the lessons, Ekolu had been taught to stay calm and call for help should a fire break out at home.
The American Red Cross later responded to the scene to offer assistance with food and other needs. The Cabigases have taken up temporary residence with relatives.
Damages are estimated at $350,000.
Cabigas said her family lost everything - toys, clothes, furniture and the sense of security homeownership brings.
"It had its smells and we made our memories from it," she said. "I don't think we can ever have a home like this again."
Cabigas said Ekolu talks about being a police officer one day and Caleb has shown an interest in being a firefighter.
Cabigas said she was still in shock Saturday yet grateful about the outpouring of support from her "ohana" at the Maui Police Department, the professionalism of the Maui Fire Department and calls of concern from family and friends.
"Awesome," she said. "Everybody's just been so awesome."
* Claudine San Nicolas can be reached at claudine@mauinews.com.
