A Hawaiian man is being hailed as a local hero after rushing into a burning building to get everyone out safely.
William Kuahine, who transfers fuel for Island Energy Services, had been a volunteer firefighter for the company for seven years when his training came in handy last Saturday morning in Honolulu.
While picking up some dog treats at the Hawaii Doggie Bakery in the neighborhood of Manoa around 10:45 a.m., he said his wife first noticed the smoke coming out of an apartment building across the street,
“She said, ‘Oh babe, there’s a fire I think in the building over there in that building,’ and me you know, my background, I kind of just looked over my shoulder just to check and I did see smoke wisping through the windows,” Kuahine told local station KHON2.
Being at the right place at the right time, the energy worker quickly sprung into action and entered the complex to get everyone out.
“I just did what I thought I had to do and was the right thing at that time,” Kuahine explained.
He first went to the units on the right side of the building that had not yet been affected by the fire, making sure to get people to leave safely.
He then made his way over to the burning apartment and knocked on the door, but no one answered.
“I proceeded to feel the door cause, you know, they teach you in fire training you don’t just want to kick in a door, you have the chance of backdraft,” he told reporters.
Once he felt that the door was cool enough to touch, he forced his way in and was joined by another good Samaritan.
“So I ended up kicking in the door,” he explained. “The gentlemen behind me proceeded with me and we started to clear the room and I went to the room where the fire was. And at that point the fire was half the room touching the ceiling, almost coming out of the room to the main living area.”
Upon searching through the entire apartment, Kuahine was able to determine that no one was home.
“At that point, the fire was already in the living room and we had to just bail out.”
Building residents told KHON2 that they’re grateful for Kuahine’s heroic efforts to warn them just in time.
“The community came together,” he said, giving credit to others who stepped in. “The other gentleman helped me out, you know. It just worked out in that sense where nobody was injured or killed.”
After the local fire department responded to put out the fire, Kuahine spoke with the captain from Manoa’s Engine 22.
“At the end, he asked for my last name again and I said I’m William Kuahine, and he said no way…Our fire engine that responded, we named that engine Kuahine,” he said. “It was mind-blowing. I was like, no way.”
He cited his previous training for preparing him for this moment.
“At that time I’m not suited to go into a fire but I’d like to think that from my training from my job prepared me for moments like that,” Kuahine explained. “I gotta help. And I would love for somebody to help my family if they were in need.”