HONOLULU – At 8:45 a.m. May 8, 2024 the Kalanimoku Building fire alarm was activated due to smoke originating from the basement. Approximately 300 building occupants were safely evacuated to the Kalanimoku Building lawn along Punchbowl Street.

The Honolulu Fire Department (HFD) arrived shortly thereafter and deployed its HAZMAT unit due to air quality concerns related to smoke and fumes. At 10:00 a.m., HFD gave the all-clear, allowing building occupants to return.

The origin of the smoke was identified as the air conditioning (AC) system. Contractors have been on-site this week working on the AC system and will continue repairs, as well as work to determine the cause of the smoke.