Hawaii Sees Surge in Building Fires as Safety Inspections Lag Behind
Regular inspections of hotels and other accommodations mandated by the state of Hawaii are being inconsistently conducted by most county fire departments. This inconsistency raises significant safety concerns for both residents and visitors.
Tragically, three individuals lost their lives in two separate structure fires in Hilo during October and November. These incidents occurred in a downtown hotel and a factory that had been illegally converted into rental units, neither of which had ever undergone an inspection, as reported by the county. According to state law, these buildings are required to have fire inspections at least every five years, with corrective actions mandated where necessary.
However, due to staffing and resource limitations, the county fire prevention bureaus across Hawaii are only able to inspect a small fraction of the state’s accommodations. For instance, Hawaii County has just three inspectors responsible for overseeing fire safety standards for approximately 14,600 rental rooms spread over 4,000 square miles.
In contrast, some states, such as California and Missouri, require annual inspections. Hawaii, with its 1,700 registered hotels, motels, and lodging houses, lacks a statutory requirement for such inspections. Only Maui County claims to have implemented annual inspections since 2023, yet it could not provide specific figures on how many hotels have been inspected this year when requested by Civil Beat.
The recent appointment of a new state fire marshal, who will assemble a team of state inspectors, is a positive development. However, the late Hawaii County Fire Chief Kazuo Todd noted that addressing these issues will not happen in the short to medium term. “The system needs to be improved,” he stated, emphasizing the need for better funding for county fire prevention bureaus.
Makana McClellan, the governor’s director of communications, mentioned that the State Fire Marshal’s office is working towards a significant overhaul of the state’s fire inspection regime. A statewide community-risk assessment will identify “target hazards and risk concentrations,” including hotels and motels. The frequency of safety inspections will be determined by risk factors rather than solely on complaints or historical practices.
Fires And Losses on the Rise
According to a register maintained by the U.S. General Services Administration, only 18% (293) of Hawaii’s registered hotels and motels comply with federal fire safety standards, which include requirements for alarms, sprinklers, and visible emergency plans. This leaves hundreds of accommodations, which collectively provide around 110,000 rooms, potentially non-compliant with national standards.
Moreover, the Hawaii Tourism Authority data does not account for approximately 31,000 private vacation properties rented through platforms like Airbnb. While these rentals must adhere to residential zoning and fire codes, they are not subject to fire department inspections.
Over the past decade, fires and related losses in Hawaii have steadily increased, contrasting with a plateau in similar incidents across the rest of the country. The most recent data indicates that the number of building fires in Hawaii has surged by two-thirds since 2014, rising from 2,995 to 5,019, with more than half occurring in Honolulu. On average, six people have died annually in building fires between 2014 and 2024, excluding fatalities from the Maui wildfires.
Todd, who previously served as a fire inspector and chaired the State Fire Council, highlighted that many properties in Hawaii lack essential fire protection systems, such as sprinklers and hardwired smoke alarms. He noted that the fire departments often lack awareness of the risks present in uninspected properties.
The Reality of Inspections
Hawaii Revised Statute 132-6 outlines an inspection schedule requiring county fire departments to inspect public schools annually and all other buildings for fire risks at least once every five years. However, on the Big Island, inspections are primarily driven by complaints or requests, according to county spokesperson Tom Callis.
Between January 1 and November 30, the Hawaii Fire Department inspectors conducted 227 property inspections but could not specify the types of properties inspected. With 481 registered accommodation businesses on the Big Island, the lack of comprehensive inspections is concerning.
Todd confirmed that neither the Wild Ginger Inn, where one person died in October, nor the Puueo Poi Factory, where two fatalities occurred last month, had been inspected. Neither property had been the subject of formal complaints.
County records indicate that the last permitted work at the Wild Ginger Inn was completed in July 1990, and the Puueo Poi Factory’s last permitted work was in July 1998. The factory had been illegally converted into short-term accommodations after the original owner’s death in 2017.
Investigations into the fires are ongoing, with authorities awaiting DNA analysis to confirm the identities of the victims. Attempts to contact the owners of both properties have been unsuccessful.
County Inspection Schedules Vary
Inspection schedules vary across counties, with Maui Fire Department initiating annual inspections of hotels in 2023 following devastating wildfires. These inspections occur between January and March, alongside annual inspections for high-hazard buildings like theaters and arenas.
Kauai’s inspections are conducted as resources allow, with a five-year minimum for inspections. The Kauai Fire Department has completed 182 inspections this year, while Oahu’s Honolulu Fire Department has conducted 11,200 inspections across various properties.
Wildfires Not the Only Issue
State Fire Marshal Dori Booth, appointed in June, is tasked with implementing recommendations from investigations into the Maui wildfires. Her office will not only oversee county departments but also ensure compliance with state fire codes.
Booth’s office is budgeted for $2.2 million for fiscal years 2026 and 2027, which would only allow for minimal staffing. A fully funded budget could support a more robust fire prevention program.
Disastrous Fire Prompted Reform in California
California has mandated annual inspections of hotels and motels since 2018, following a tragic warehouse fire that claimed 36 lives. Despite this, even large departments in California struggle to meet these requirements.
William Nhieu from the Hawaii State Insurance Commission emphasized the importance of fire safety inspections in risk assessment and loss prevention, particularly for public accommodations. Inconsistent inspections can lead to increased perceived risk by insurers, affecting coverage availability and costs.
This story was originally published by Honolulu Civil Beat and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.
Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Regular inspections of hotels and other accommodations mandated by the state of Hawaii are being inconsistently conducted by most county fire departments. This inconsistency raises significant safety concerns for both residents and visitors.
Tragically, three individuals lost their lives in two separate structure fires in Hilo during October and November. These incidents occurred in a downtown hotel and a factory that had been illegally converted into rental units, neither of which had ever undergone an inspection, as reported by the county. According to state law, these buildings are required to have fire inspections at least every five years, with corrective actions mandated where necessary.
However, due to staffing and resource limitations, the county fire prevention bureaus across Hawaii are only able to inspect a small fraction of the state’s accommodations. For instance, Hawaii County has just three inspectors responsible for overseeing fire safety standards for approximately 14,600 rental rooms spread over 4,000 square miles.
In contrast, some states, such as California and Missouri, require annual inspections. Hawaii, with its 1,700 registered hotels, motels, and lodging houses, lacks a statutory requirement for such inspections. Only Maui County claims to have implemented annual inspections since 2023, yet it could not provide specific figures on how many hotels have been inspected this year when requested by Civil Beat.
The recent appointment of a new state fire marshal, who will assemble a team of state inspectors, is a positive development. However, the late Hawaii County Fire Chief Kazuo Todd noted that addressing these issues will not happen in the short to medium term. “The system needs to be improved,” he stated, emphasizing the need for better funding for county fire prevention bureaus.
Makana McClellan, the governor’s director of communications, mentioned that the State Fire Marshal’s office is working towards a significant overhaul of the state’s fire inspection regime. A statewide community-risk assessment will identify “target hazards and risk concentrations,” including hotels and motels. The frequency of safety inspections will be determined by risk factors rather than solely on complaints or historical practices.
Fires And Losses on the Rise
According to a register maintained by the U.S. General Services Administration, only 18% (293) of Hawaii’s registered hotels and motels comply with federal fire safety standards, which include requirements for alarms, sprinklers, and visible emergency plans. This leaves hundreds of accommodations, which collectively provide around 110,000 rooms, potentially non-compliant with national standards.
Moreover, the Hawaii Tourism Authority data does not account for approximately 31,000 private vacation properties rented through platforms like Airbnb. While these rentals must adhere to residential zoning and fire codes, they are not subject to fire department inspections.
Over the past decade, fires and related losses in Hawaii have steadily increased, contrasting with a plateau in similar incidents across the rest of the country. The most recent data indicates that the number of building fires in Hawaii has surged by two-thirds since 2014, rising from 2,995 to 5,019, with more than half occurring in Honolulu. On average, six people have died annually in building fires between 2014 and 2024, excluding fatalities from the Maui wildfires.
Todd, who previously served as a fire inspector and chaired the State Fire Council, highlighted that many properties in Hawaii lack essential fire protection systems, such as sprinklers and hardwired smoke alarms. He noted that the fire departments often lack awareness of the risks present in uninspected properties.
The Reality of Inspections
Hawaii Revised Statute 132-6 outlines an inspection schedule requiring county fire departments to inspect public schools annually and all other buildings for fire risks at least once every five years. However, on the Big Island, inspections are primarily driven by complaints or requests, according to county spokesperson Tom Callis.
Between January 1 and November 30, the Hawaii Fire Department inspectors conducted 227 property inspections but could not specify the types of properties inspected. With 481 registered accommodation businesses on the Big Island, the lack of comprehensive inspections is concerning.
Todd confirmed that neither the Wild Ginger Inn, where one person died in October, nor the Puueo Poi Factory, where two fatalities occurred last month, had been inspected. Neither property had been the subject of formal complaints.
County records indicate that the last permitted work at the Wild Ginger Inn was completed in July 1990, and the Puueo Poi Factory’s last permitted work was in July 1998. The factory had been illegally converted into short-term accommodations after the original owner’s death in 2017.
Investigations into the fires are ongoing, with authorities awaiting DNA analysis to confirm the identities of the victims. Attempts to contact the owners of both properties have been unsuccessful.
County Inspection Schedules Vary
Inspection schedules vary across counties, with Maui Fire Department initiating annual inspections of hotels in 2023 following devastating wildfires. These inspections occur between January and March, alongside annual inspections for high-hazard buildings like theaters and arenas.
Kauai’s inspections are conducted as resources allow, with a five-year minimum for inspections. The Kauai Fire Department has completed 182 inspections this year, while Oahu’s Honolulu Fire Department has conducted 11,200 inspections across various properties.
Wildfires Not the Only Issue
State Fire Marshal Dori Booth, appointed in June, is tasked with implementing recommendations from investigations into the Maui wildfires. Her office will not only oversee county departments but also ensure compliance with state fire codes.
Booth’s office is budgeted for $2.2 million for fiscal years 2026 and 2027, which would only allow for minimal staffing. A fully funded budget could support a more robust fire prevention program.
Disastrous Fire Prompted Reform in California
California has mandated annual inspections of hotels and motels since 2018, following a tragic warehouse fire that claimed 36 lives. Despite this, even large departments in California struggle to meet these requirements.
William Nhieu from the Hawaii State Insurance Commission emphasized the importance of fire safety inspections in risk assessment and loss prevention, particularly for public accommodations. Inconsistent inspections can lead to increased perceived risk by insurers, affecting coverage availability and costs.
This story was originally published by Honolulu Civil Beat and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.
Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
