Fire breaks out at Honolulu high-rise, injuries reported

Firefighters battled a blaze on Friday in a 36-story condominium tower in Honolulu, as media reported that at least two people suffered smoke inhalation and several others could be trapped in their homes.

Thick black smoke poured from the Marco Polo building as orange flames raged on several floors and debris fell from windows in images broadcast by bystanders on the Periscope streaming service.

Emergency responders treated several people at the scene and two were taken to a local hospital suffering from smoke inhalation, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser newspaper said.

"Paramedics are expediting emergency treatment with a triage location inside the building," Shayne Enright of the city's Emergency Medical Services department told the Star-Advertiser, which reported that two patients had been hospitalized, one in serious condition and the other considered stable.

Fire officials were also responding to reports of people trapped in their apartments, the paper said, but had not confirmed them.

The Hawaii Red Cross said on Twitter that those evacuated from the building were being accommodated at a nearby park and tended to be volunteers.

About 60 firefighters were battling the flames, which broke out shortly after 2 pm local time (7 pm EDT) and helicopters could be seen circling the tower.

The fire had caused the closure of a major road in front of the condominium complex, the Honolulu police department said on social network Twitter.

In London, at least 80 people were killed when a fire gutted the 24-story Grenfell Tower apartments on June 14.

Authorities have opened two major investigations into the blaze, the worst in he British capital since World War Two, and have said that criminal charges could be forthcoming.

Source: Khaleej Times