Faulty wiring caused Waikiki blaze

A fire that gutted a one-bedroom unit and damaged several others in a Waikiki high-rise condominium Thursday was caused by an electrical malfunction, fire investigators determined.

The fire on the eighth floor of the 33-story Aloha Lani at 2211 Ala Wai Blvd. left a young couple homeless. The man and woman were not home when the fire began.

Fire investigators believe it was an electrical short, possibly in a power strip or a laptop computer, said Capt. Terry Seelig, Fire Department spokesman.

The fire caused about $225,000 in damage to the unit. Four other units sustained heat, smoke or water damage.

The 359-unit condominium was built in 1976 before updated building codes requiring individual units to have smoke detectors. A building fire alarm did sound, alerting residents.

Firefighters tend hiking trail flames

Two fire companies returned to the hiking trail at the end of Komo Mai Drive in Pacific Palisades just before noon yesterday to extinguish a small wildfire.

Fire officials believe the fire could be the remnants of one that burned Tuesday in the same area.

Women arrested on meth charges

Two Hilo women were arrested Wednesday on suspicion of possession of crystal methamphetamine, Big Island police said.

Vice officers served a warrant on Dawn Delatorre-Ganon, 28, at about noon Wednesday in a shopping center parking lot in Hilo. Police said they recovered 5.2 grams of "ice," a digital scale, empty resealable plastic packets and an ice pipe from her.

They also recovered an additional 0.4 grams of crystal meth in the pickup truck in which she was sitting with Jacqueline "Jackie" Markham, 46. Both women were arrested at the scene.

Delatorre-Ganon was charged with first-degree attempted methamphetamine trafficking, second-degree promotion of a dangerous drug and possession of drug paraphernalia, police said. Her bail was set at $305,000.

Markham was charged with third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to police. Her bail was set at $4,000.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Fall killed man in Hilo

Big Island police say a 57-year-old Hilo man found dead in a parking lot Thursday apparently died of a fall and that foul play was not involved.

A medical examiner determined yesterday that Roy Lemon died of "blunt force injury" consistent with a fall, police said.

Detectives were awaiting results of a toxicology analysis.

Police said Lemon was found unresponsive with a head injury in a private parking lot off Kalakaua Street at about 7:23 a.m. Thursday.

He was taken to Hilo Medical Center, where he died at 8:27 a.m.

Anyone with information is asked to call CrimeStoppers in Hilo at 961-8300 or in Kona at 329-8181.