The Honolulu Fire Department says an apartment fire in Pawaa last week was caused by an unattended wax candle in a bedroom.

HFD responded to the ninth floor fire last Wednesday night, but has updated the address to 1583 Kalakaua Ave. (not 1545 Kalakaua Ave.), which is also the address of Kalakaua Homes. No occupants were inside the unit at the time of the fire, but two ninth floor residents were helped to a safe area, and transferred to the care of Honolulu Emergency Medical Services.

HFD said the fire originated from the apartment unit’s bedroom, where an unattended wax candle on a mattress ignited nearby combustible materials.

Estimated damages to the unit and contents are at $80,000. HFD said a smoke detector was present, but failed to activate.

HFD reminds the public that smoke alarms to detect a fire are essential in every buildling, ad that working smoke alarms save lives, allowing occupants more time to escape.