Witnesses saw a teenager use a cigarette lighter to start a fire a new canoe hale, built from traditional materials, on the south side of Kahului Harbor next to Hoaloha Park. Thursday night, a Maui Fire Department spokesman said.

The witnesses told officials that a man in his late teens set the fire to the thatched roof covering of the Hawaiian Canoe Clubs’ new canoe hale at 8:30 p.m.

The fire damaged about a 100 square feet of the structure before a sprinkler system kept it from spreading.  When firefighters arrived they found a small smoldering fire on the roof.

Firefighters said the fire was under control at 8:40 p.m. and extinguished at 9 p.m.

A new outrigger canoe, which was stored in the hale, also suffered damage.

Fire investigators said fire was intentionally set.  

Damage to the structure and canoe is estimated at $3,000.

Hawaiian Canoe Club members and supporters built the roof using dried palm leaves. The sprinkler system was installed to bring the structure into compliance with Maui’s building codes.