A large fire destroyed an abandoned home in Makiki early Thursday.

Fifteen units with 60 firefighters responded to a three-alarm fire at 1234 Matlock Ave. shortly after 4:30 a.m.

Kourtney Davis, who resides in a unit in an apartment building across from the abandoned structure, heard people screaming and glass breaking. Soon after, she observed the house fully engulfed in flames.

Another nearby resident, Thomas Kono, said he could see the large flames from his apartment balcony. “It was intense.”

Shortly after firefighters arrived, the structure’s roof collapsed, causing thick smoke to billow from the charred home. Wind also fanned flames to neighboring structures, causing substantial damage to an adjacent home at 1230 Matlock Ave. occupied by a woman in her 80s.

Angel Orozco, who resides in an apartment with his fiancee, Jessika Garcia, at 1226 Matlock Ave., said he was sleeping when Garcia woke him up and alerted him of the nearby fire.

Garcia said she smelled a lot of smoke and heard crackling sounds. At first she thought the source of the smoke was fireworks. She then saw a large fire in the back of the abandoned home.

The couple hurriedly left their apartment and saw the large fire engulf the abandoned structure. “Everything happened so fast … it’s just crazy,” said Garcia, estimating the structure went up in flames in less than 10 minutes.

Area residents helped a woman who resides in a home next to the abandoned structure safely escape her residence.

Orozco said, “We kind of met her at the door, so we just quickly grabbed her, got her out, made sure no one else was in the house.”

“She was just more concerned about her house, but we were just trying to get her away from the fire because that was spreading very quickly,” Orozco said.

“It was just a bad situation. We were trying to get her away from it,” he added.

Honolulu Battalion Chief John Bowers said the woman was treated for smoke inhalation and refused to be taken to a hospital.

The massive fire also caused heavy damage to one apartment and light to moderate damage to three other units in a residential building next door at 1242 Matlock Ave.

Firefighters brought the fire under control at 5:30 a.m. and extinguished it at approximately 7 a.m.

No injuries were reported.

Bowers said the fire’s cause is under investigation and that a damage estimate has yet to be determined.

Area residents said squatters have lived in the abandoned home in recent months. Neighbors said they have observed people entering and exiting the home in the late night and early morning hours.

Calls have been made to the police for noise disturbances.

City property records indicated the 1,488-square-foot, three-bedroom home was built in 1918.

The structure was slated to be demolished. The homeowner filed for a demolition permit in November. Curtis Lum, city Department of Planning and Permitting spokesman, said the issuance of the permit is pending review.