Fire officials estimate an early morning fire Tuesday caused $1,150,000 in damage to two apartments and common areas of a Kapiolani condominium building.

Police said the blaze at the Marco Polo started when something caught fire in a microwave oven in an eighth-floor apartment, quickly spreading and igniting other kitchen items. Fire investigators had not completed their probe Tuesday into the cause.

The intense heat blew out the lanai windows of corner Unit 817, and flames lapped up to Unit 917 above, burning that kitchen. The fire scorched the outer walls as high as the 12th floor, said fire Capt. Terry Seelig.

Damage to hallways and exterior walls was estimated at $900,000, $150,000 to Unit 817 and $100,000 to Unit 917.

The 36-floor Marco Polo at 2331 Kapiolani Blvd., built before a city requirement for a sprinkler system, was the scene of a Nov. 24, 2010, fire, which started in a kitchen, blew out a lanai window and caused $225,000 in damage to one unit and common areas.

"Fire will grow until contained, and a sprinkler is much quicker than any fire response," Seelig said.

Fifty firefighters were dispatched to the three-alarm fire at 2:36 a.m. Tuesday.

Seelig said a man and three women escaped from Unit 817 unharmed, and a man, a woman and an infant escaped uninjured from Unit 917.

Three floors above the unit and all the floors below were evacuated.

Unit 817 sustained heavy damage, Unit 917 had significant smoke damage and apartments below sustained light water damage, fire Capt. James Todd said. Firefighters had the blaze under control at 3:06 a.m. and extinguished by 3:30 a.m.

Portions of Kapiolani Boulevard were closed for about three hours.