Man dies while fighting fire

Police say a 69-year-old Waiohinu man died early Thursday morning after helping a neighbor attempt to extinguish a Wednesday night house fire.

The victim was identified as Gerald Erickson.

Ka‘u Patrol officers and Fire Department personnel responded to a 10:34 p.m. report of a structure fire on Kamaoa Road.

Upon arrival, they found Erickson unresponsive outside the house. The home’s owner, Lui Salas, said he summoned Erickson to assist putting out the fire, which started in the kitchen, with garden hoses. Salas told police that as smoke filled the home, he told Erickson to go outside and call 911. A short time later, Salas found Erickson collapsed and unresponsive outside and immediately began to administer CPR.

Erickson was taken to Hilo Medical Center where he was pronounced dead at 3:30 a.m Thursday.

An autopsy has been ordered and the investigation is continuing.

The fire appears to have been started by an unattended propane stove. The fire was snuffed out with portable extinguishers and fire officials estimated damage to the structure at $85,000 with another $3,000 in damage to its contents. Fire officials say that about $220,000 of property was saved.