Fire breaks out at Uncle Billy’s Hilo Bay Hotel

HNN: … Firefighters are investigating a blaze that broke out early Friday at the former Uncle Billy’s Hilo Bay Hotel early Friday.

Crews received the call around 1:40 a.m., and four units staffed with 21 personnel responded.

“At the moment, it’s looking like squatters that had been here had potentially started fires, potentially it was an unintentional fire that spread to the rest of the structure,” said Hawaii County Fire Chief Kazu Todd. “But at this time, it’s still under investigation, so we’re not 100% sure.”

Todd said the four-story building is abandoned and had been unused for a while, but a lot of rubbish had built up over the years….

An unknown number of guests from one of the wings at the Naniloa Hotel evacuated as a precaution....

read … Fire breaks out at Uncle Billy’s Hilo Bay Hotel

HTH: Fire causes $2 million in damage to shuttered Hilo hotel 

HNN: Firefighters: Squatters appear to have started blaze at abandoned Hilo hotel

HTH: Police: Fire in shuttered Hilo hotel might be due to electrical tampering  

HTH: Hotel fire causes $2M in damage: Blaze at former Uncle Billy’s hotel being investigated as arson

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Statements from DLNR Mar 4, 2022

DLNR confirms that at 1:30 a.m. today, the Hawaii County Fire Department responded to a structure fire at the former Uncle Billy’s Hotel in Hilo on Banyan Drive. The fire has been extinguished. Several individuals have been arrested. 

The former Uncle Billy's Hotel and several other Banyan Drive properties are under the jurisdiction of the DLNR Land Division and have been for more than 50 years. DLNR has been pursuing demolition and redevelopment of the property, but this effort is currently on hold due to lack of funds for demolition as well as non-DLNR related litigation.

An interim security contract at the property lapsed at the end of December 2021.  DLNR continues to explore cost-effective options for further securing the property.

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Several individuals were arrested at the former Uncle Billy's Hotel today, but not in relationship to this morning's fire. Photos of fire damage can be downloaded from: LINK

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Officers from the DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement arrested three individuals at the former Uncle Billy's Hotel on the following charges:

Suspect #1

Two counts of promoting dangerous drugs

One count of promoting detrimental drugs

One count of possession of drug paraphernalia

One count of criminal trespass

Suspects #2 and #3

Citation for criminal trespass

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On 3/4/2022 at apx. 10:10 a.m. in room 242 of the former Uncle Billy’s Hotel ,  John Nau Male, age 29, with no permanent address was arrested and charged by  the Hawaii Police Department for criminal trespass, 2 counts of Dangerous Drug 3rd degree, 1 count drug paraphernalia, and 1 count promotion of detrimental drug 3rd degree. 1.7 grams of meth was recovered and a syringe containing 30 units of liquefied meth.

On 3/4/2022 at apx. 11:20 a.m.  hours in room 320 of the  former Uncle Billy’s Hotel , Ricardo Cordeiro, age 37 of Hilo, issued citation for HRS 708-814.7 Criminal Trespass on State Land after being found asleep.

On 3/4/2022 at apx. 11:20 a.m. in room 320 of the former Uncle Billy’s Hotel , Nohelani Cordiero, age 40 of Hilo, issued citation for HRS 708-814.7 Criminal Trespass on State Land after being found asleep.