Three people rescued from Punchbowl apartment fire

Three people were rescued from a fire inside a Punchbowl apartment building Thursday night after a moped and other belongings caught fire near the front door of a first-floor unit.

Firefighters responded to the three-story building at 275 Auwaiolimu Street after receiving a 911 call at 10:09 p.m., the Honolulu Fire Department said. The first unit arrived six minutes later and found smoke coming from the first-floor apartment and learned that three people were trapped in a back room.

Firefighters stretched hose lines to the apartment and found a moped and other belongings burning near the front door. The fire had spread into the unit’s interior.

Crews quickly brought the fire under control and entered the apartment to rescue the three occupants. The fire was declared under control at 10:27 p.m. and fully extinguished at 10:36 p.m., HFD said.

Smoke and water also damaged an adjoining apartment. The American Red Cross was notified to assist residents of both units.

Eleven HFD units staffed by 40 personnel responded. No firefighter injuries were reported, and all personnel were accounted for.

The cause and origin of the fire remain under investigation. HFD said it will provide damage estimates after the investigation is complete.

The department also reminded residents to make sure their buildings have working smoke alarms, which can provide more time to escape a fire. More fire-safety information is available at fire.honolulu.gov.