Hawai‘i Island police are investigating a fatal Mountain View structure fire.

On July 6, Puna Patrol officers and Hawai‘i County Fire Department personnel responded to a reported structure fire in the 17-4400 block of Huina Road and found a single-family residence fully engulfed in flames.

A 79-year-old male resident reported that, shortly before he called 911, his wife informed him there was a fire in their garage. Although the man attempted to extinguish the flames with a fire extinguisher, it had already spread. Because he was unable to get back into the residence to call 911, he went to a neighbor’s home to request help. Upon his return, he was unable to locate his wife. Officers searched the area but were unable to locate her. After firefighters extinguished the flames, a severely burned body was discovered in the remnants of the structure.

Area I Criminal Investigation Section personnel and Hawai‘i Fire Department inspectors are continuing this investigation, which is currently classified as a fire and a coroner’s inquest. The identity of the victim and the cause of the fire remain under investigation.

An autopsy will be performed later this week to determine the exact cause of death. The identity of the victim is pending positive identification and notification of next of kin.

The structure, valued at approximately $224,000, and its contents were a total loss.

Police ask anyone with information about this case to call Detective Daniel Tam of the Area I Criminal Investigation Section at (808) 961-2380 or email daniel.tam@hawaiicounty.gov.