Fire causes $5.7M in damage at Italian luxury goods store in Ala Moana Center

Dec. 08--A fire at an Italian luxury goods store at Ala Moana Center caused nearly $6 million in damage Friday night, a Honolulu Fire Department spokesman said.

The fire in Bottega Veneta on the mauka side of mall level 2 started at about 12:25 p.m., and four employees inside the store responded quickly with a fire extinguisher. Security also assisted with multiple extinguishers, said HFD Capt. Scot Seguirant.

Firefighters arrived within 10 minutes and found extinguisher residue and smoke damage in the store.

The fire was confirmed extinguished at 1:04 p.m.

Firefighters determined the fire was accidentally caused by a malfunctioning fluorescent light.

Damage was estimated at $2,000 to the structure and $5,731,000 to the contents. Seguirant said the fire was in a stock room area and the goods were damaged by smoke and extinguishing agent.

The designer store carries expensive goods, such as backpacks over $2,000 and handbags over $7,000.

Paramedics also treated two security officers for smoke inhalation, but both declined to be taken to a hospital.

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