Police Investigating Fatal Structure Fire in Upper Puna

Hawai‘i Island police are investigating a fatal structure fire that occurred on Huina Road in Mountain View late Sunday night, July 6, 2025.

At approximately 11:13 p.m., Puna Patrol officers and Hawai‘i Fire Department personnel responded to a reported structure fire in the 17-4400 block of Huina Road. Upon arrival, they found a single-family residence fully engulfed in flames.

Responding officers contacted a 79-year-old male resident who reported that, shortly before he called 911, his 76-year-old wife informed him there was a fire in their garage. The man attempted to extinguish the flames with a fire extinguisher; however, the fire had already spread. He reported being unable to get back into the residence to call 911, so he went to a neighbor’s home to request help. When he returned, he was unable to locate his wife and feared she may have been trapped inside. Officers searched the area but were unable to locate her. After firefighters extinguished the flames, a severely burned body was discovered in the remnants of the structure.

Area I Criminal Investigation Section personnel and Hawai‘i Fire Department inspectors responded to the scene and are continuing this investigation, which is currently classified as a fire and a coroner’s inquest. The identity of the victim and the cause of the fire remain under investigation.

An autopsy will be performed later this week to determine the exact cause of death. The identity of the victim is pending positive identification and notification of next of kin.

The structure, valued at approximately $224,000, and its contents were a total loss.

Police ask anyone with information about this case to call Detective Daniel Tam of the Area I Criminal Investigation Section at (808) 961-2380 or email daniel.tam@hawaiicounty.gov. Tipsters may also call the police department’s non-emergency line at (808) 935-3311.