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Police open arson case after fire breaks out at surfboard rack in Waikiki

CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARADVERTISER.COM
                                Police investigated the scene of a surf rack fire this morning at the beach access between Outrigger Waikiki and Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center.
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CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARADVERTISER.COM

Police investigated the scene of a surf rack fire this morning at the beach access between Outrigger Waikiki and Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center.

CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARADVERTISER.COM
                                Police investigated the scene of a surf rack fire this morning at the beach access between Outrigger Waikiki and Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center.
2/3
Swipe or click to see more

CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARADVERTISER.COM

Police investigated the scene of a surf rack fire this morning at the beach access between Outrigger Waikiki and Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center.

CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARADVERTISER.COM
                                Police investigated the scene of a surf rack fire this morning at the beach access between Outrigger Waikiki and Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center.
3/3
Swipe or click to see more

CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARADVERTISER.COM

Police investigated the scene of a surf rack fire this morning at the beach access between Outrigger Waikiki and Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center.

CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARADVERTISER.COM
                                Police investigated the scene of a surf rack fire this morning at the beach access between Outrigger Waikiki and Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center.
CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARADVERTISER.COM
                                Police investigated the scene of a surf rack fire this morning at the beach access between Outrigger Waikiki and Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center.
CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARADVERTISER.COM
                                Police investigated the scene of a surf rack fire this morning at the beach access between Outrigger Waikiki and Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center.

Honolulu police have opened a first-degree arson investigation after a fire broke out at surfboard racks in Waikiki early this morning.

This is the second time a fire was intentionally set to a Waikiki surfboard storage area in three weeks, according to police.

Police said today’s fire broke out before 3:50 a.m. No injuries were reported.

The surfboard racks are located near The Cheesecake Factory.

There are no arrests at this time.

Officers have shut down lanes in the area of Kalakaua and Seaside avenues to investigate.

Three weeks ago, prosecutors charged 48-year-old Glenn A. Helton with first-degree arson in connection with an Oct. 17 fire at the surfboard racks near the Waikiki police substation on Kalakaua Avenue, destroying about 500 surfboards.

Damage was estimated at $650,000 including $100,000 to the surfboard lockers, $300,000 to surfboards and $250,000 to structures.

Helton is being held at the Oahu Community Correctional Center in lieu of $70,000 bail.

In February 2020, a separate fire destroyed about 525 surfboards at the same site as last month’s fire. Investigators had determined it also was intentionally set. No arrests have been made in the case.

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This is a breaking news story that will be updated once additional information becomes available.

Correction: The surfboard racks that burned today are located near The Cheesecake Factory and are not owned by the city. An earlier version of this story had incorrect information.
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