Corroded insulator identified as possible cause of utility pole fire in Wailua

Utility crews from Kaua’i Island Utility Cooperative finished repairs earlier than expected on Tuesday after a utility pole fire in Wailua also damaged another pole, and briefly disrupted electrical service in the area.

The work followed an early morning fire that broke out shortly after 6 a.m., when an electrical fault on Kaua’i Island Utility Cooperative’s power line caused an ignition on a pole’s crossarm.

The fire was caused by a failed insulator, likely corroded, which led to a short circuit and ignition, according to Kaua’i Island Utility Cooperative.

Utility crews and the Kaua‘i Fire Department responded quickly and extinguished the flames, preventing further damage or power outages. Two fire-damaged wooden poles were replaced with composite poles, which are more durable and fire-resistant.

New insulators and crossarms also were added during the repair effort.

Each composite pole costs roughly $15,000, and approximately 20 Kaua’i Island Utility Cooperative line and contract workers were on-site from 6:30 a.m. until the repairs finished around 1 p.m.

During the work, the Kaua‘i Police Department and the Hawai‘i Department of Transportation diverted traffic along Leho Drive and managed the flow around the scene.

All power has since been restored, and officials reopened both directions of the highway by early afternoon Tuesday.

Outages can be tracked on the Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative Outage Center. Note that the number of customers without power is listed as “Total Customers Affected.”