Early Morning Fire at Central Laundromat
by Anthony Kaauamo
In the early hours of September 3, 2024, sometime around 3:40 a.m., Marjo Etrata walked his usual route up Fraser Avenue on his way to work at the central bakery. The roads lay still with pools of light from the streetlamps barely holding back the darkness.
Everything seemed routine — until he noticed something strange, a subtle shift in the night sky. It moved unnaturally, like a black velvet curtain stirred by an invisible breeze. Marjo paused, realizing it wasn’t the sky at all — it was smoke, a thin column curling into the air.
As Marjo approached the commercial laundry facility near central, the rising smoke thickened, and a faint, unnatural glow began to emerge. Stepping into the parking lot, he saw it clearly for the first time — through the laundry window from behind the Pepsi vending machine, flames were dancing inside, twisting and flickering against the walls. The parking area, usually dim and still, was now bathed in an ominous orange glow.
Marjo immediately reached for his phone and dialed 911.
Battling the Blaze
At 3:53 a.m., the Lāna‘i Fire Station received an alarm for a structure fire at the laundry facility on 1311 Fraser Avenue. Captain Kalani Nicholls led the response with a crew of five: Fire Apparatus Operators Eric Baldeviso (Engine 8) and Isaiah Buth (Tanker 8), along with Firefighters David Kamalani and Clayton Sado. Knowing the proximity of the scene, the crew fully donned their protective gear before heading out, understanding the severity of a potential structure fire.
“Five total. It’s four on the engine and one on the tanker,” Captain Nicholls said, confirming the crew size. Typically, this would be sufficient for smaller incidents, but fires of this magnitude require more manpower. “For a commercial structure fire, you’d normally have three engines, a support team and a battalion chief — 20 plus guys.”
Dispatch confirmed a fire had been reported at the building, just 200 yards from the station. By 3:55 a.m., the crew arrived and could see the blaze through the glass doors on the west side, where it had already reached about eight feet high. “It was clear we had a working fire as soon as we got on scene,” said Captain Nicholls.
The first step was securing a water supply. Firefighter David Kamalani connected to a hydrant on the north side of the building while the rest of the crew prepared for an interior attack. With the water supply in place, they forced open the main doors and began setting up a pre-connected hose line.
Before launching the attack, Captain Nicholls and the crew searched the building to ensure no one was inside. “Anytime we get into a structure fire, we always have to search for life,” Captain Nicholls said. The crew conducted a primary search of the principal areas, ensuring there were no occupants trapped or inside the building. “We made sure to search all the survivable spaces,” Nicholls added, confirming that no one was found.
Firefighter Clayton Sado operated the hose, directing the water inside to cool the growing flames and steel beams already beginning to heat up. “The first priority was to get the fire under control and cool the beams,” said Captain Nicholls. As the crew worked to suppress the flames, Captain Nicholls conducted a structural safety check. He noted that the steel beams were red-hot and sagging, raising concerns about the building’s integrity.
Recognizing the risk, Captain Nicholls made the call to shift from an offensive to a defensive firefighting strategy. “Once we confirmed there were no occupants inside, we transitioned to defensive mode,” he said. The crew moved to the exterior of the building, using hoses and a deck gun to contain the blaze from outside.
Water was applied from multiple angles, including from Tanker 8, to cool down the roof and exterior walls. The team remained cautious, especially after learning there was a boiler in the building. They made sure the fire had not spread to it, confirming that the firewalls were holding.
Forty-five minutes into the response, Captain Nicholls received a call from Lāna‘i Airport Aircraft Rescue & Firefighting (ARFF) asking if additional resources were needed. “We actually got a good hold on it right now. I don’t think we need any more trucks coming up here, taking away from anything that could happen at the airport,” Captain Nicholls said. An hour later, the battalion chief offered to fly in resources from Maui, such as Ladder 3 from Lahaina or Rescue 10. “By that time, we’d been there over an hour. It was very defensive and there weren’t a bunch of interiors, so I didn’t feel the need to have anybody over,” Captain Nicholls explained.
Throughout the operation, the crew took breaks to rest and rehydrate, with Pūlama Lāna‘i providing refreshments. “I checked in with them — ‘Hey, take a break, have some water,’” Captain Nicholls said.
For the next several hours, the crew continued their efforts to cool hot spots and prevent further damage. “We kept the water flowing to bring down the heat and contain any remaining fire,” said Captain Nicholls. They focused on the roof and upper sections of the building, using exterior lines and the deck gun.
By mid-morning, the fire was fully under control. “By 9:50 a.m., we had everything contained,” Captain Nicholls confirmed. The crew continued monitoring the site to ensure no flare-ups occurred and officially declared the fire extinguished by 3:30 p.m.
“It was only a matter of when, not if, something like this would happen,” Captain Nicholls said. “But now that it has, I think we’re prepared for whatever comes next.”
The laundry facility was heavily damaged, but no other structures were affected, and no injuries were reported. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Impact on Resort Operations
Avi Phookan, general manager of Four Seasons Resort Lāna‘i, said that employee safety was the top priority following the fire. “Thankfully, there were no injuries or loss of life, and all employees were accounted for,” he said. He addressed the fire’s impact on both resort operations and the broader community. “This laundromat provided services for both Four Seasons Resort Lāna‘i and Sensei Retreat, handling all linen and uniforms. Nearly 800 employees relied on it, many in uniform.”
Beyond the resorts, the laundry facility also played a role in the local community, servicing the hospital and other institutions. “From a local services standpoint, the hospital continues to take advantage of this facility, and we were happy to provide that service,” Phookan said.
With the laundry facility inoperable, the resort implemented contingency plans. “Within 12 to 14 hours following the first incident report, we had our airlift organized,” Phookan said.
“We sent two loads of laundry off-island to O‘ahu for processing that same day.”
While off-island processing provided a short-term solution, Phookan noted that “it’s an expensive option.” The resort has since set up an interim laundry facility to handle smaller-scale operations, with plans underway for a temporary on-island facility by mid-October. “We are working on a trailer-style installation that will handle washing and drying on-site,” Phookan said.
Job Reassignment for Affected Employees
The fire also displaced several employees who worked at the laundry. Phookan confirmed that efforts were made to reassign them. “We offered what we call a Job Bank opportunity, listing various work opportunities across both resorts and other subsidiary elements such as the ranch,” he said. Employees were encouraged to pick up available shifts, use vacation time, or as a last resort, file for unemployment.
Phookan mentioned that many of the affected employees have already returned to work. “Many have been recalled to what we are currently running as an interim laundry and sorting facility,” he said. “Bringing everybody back to their full payroll and core job description is my personal priority.” He expressed optimism that most of the staff will be able to return to their regular duties once the temporary facility is operational.
Rebuilding the Laundry Facility: A Long Road Ahead
Rebuilding the laundry facility will be a lengthy process. “This isn’t a two-month project,” Phookan said, acknowledging the challenges. The entire building will need to be replaced due to extensive fire damage. “We are working in very close coordination with Pūlama Lāna‘i, and they’ve been truly top-notch,” he said. Phookan noted that logistical difficulties in sourcing materials and labor on Lāna‘i would extend the timeline, but both Four Seasons and Pūlama Lāna‘i are committed to restoring the facility to full operational capacity.