Mechanic in Hawaii Island Loses $150K Worth of Tools in Shop Blaze

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – A mechanic from Hawaii Island faced a devastating loss of approximately $150,000 in tools and equipment after a fire ravaged his shop in Fern Forest. Doug Makai, aged 64, reported that he had been collecting tools since he was 16 years old.

On the afternoon of September 26, after leaving his residence on Kaleponi Drive for about an hour, Makai returned to find firefighters responding to a blaze that obliterated his shop. ‘A friend of mine stopped by,’ Makai recalled. ‘We went and got coffee. And by the time we came back, the fire trucks were here, and the place is gone.’ The fire consumed not only his tools and solar equipment but also personal items like a motorized bicycle and a mini bike. In a further setback, he lost access to the keys for his vehicles and those of his customers.

Residents of Fern Forest expressed their sorrow over the loss, highlighting Makai’s years of dedication in assisting the community. Regular customer Dawn Keane praised Makai’s honesty and noted that he often charged less than the actual cost of repairs. ‘It’s hard to make him take money,’ said fellow resident Chris Emerson, who empathized with Makai’s predicament of losing his livelihood. In light of this tragedy, a customer has initiated a GoFundMe campaign to support Makai’s recovery.