1 man found dead in Aiea high-rise fire

A 77-year-old man and two dogs died in a fire that broke out at a unit in an Aiea high-rise today.

Ten units with more than 35 firefighters responded to the two-alarm fire at the Lele Pono condominium building at 98-099 Uao Pl. just after 11:25 a.m. today.

When crews arrived, they saw smoke and flames emanating from unit 2901, the Honolulu Fire Department said. Firefighters attacked the fire while checking on multiple floors for any occupants .

Firefighters brought the fire under control at 11:59 p.m.

A 77-year-old man in the unit died in the fire, according to HFD Capt. Malcolm Medrano said.

Two dogs found under a bed in the same unit also died.

The fire department said two other residents who live in the apartment — a 50-year-old woman and her husband, also 50 — were not in the building at the time of the blaze.

The woman is the 77-year-old man’s daughter.

Firefighters extinguished the blaze just before 1 p.m.

The cause of the fire is under investigation and a damage estimate has yet to be determined.