Man, 82, dies in hospital after arc welder starts blaze

An 82-year-old man in a wheelchair who was burned Tuesday afternoon in a small fire died yesterday at Straub Clinic & Hospital, police said.

The man was using an arc welder for a hobby project at a house on Upalu Street in Pearl City when the wheelchair caught fire, fire Capt. Terry Seelig said.

Neighbors drawn out by the smell of smoke put out the fire with garden hoses. Paramedics took the man to the hospital in serious condition. He died at 12:12 p.m., police said. The cause of his death was not immediately available.

Robber wields knife to rob taxicab driver in Kaimuki

A taxicab driver was robbed by a man with a small knife early yesterday morning in Kaimuki, police said.

The 56-year-old driver picked up the man, who appeared to be in his 30s, in Kalihi and drove him to Kaimuki about 4:05 a.m., police said.

As the driver stopped to drop off his fare, the passenger pulled out a small knife and demanded money. The robber fled with some cash and remained at large yesterday afternoon.

 Update: Police later confirmed that the case has been closed and no charges were filed against the suspect, who is from Wisconsin, not a 10th Avenue address as was originally reported.