Ka'u Information Update for May 1st, 2019

The Hawaii Fire Department (HFD) along with the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (HVNP) Park Rangers are currently on scene of a technical rescue incident that occurred in the vicinity of steams vents and bluffs in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Wednesday Evening (May 1st).

The initial call came in 6:49 pm Wednesday evening and crews from the Volcano and Waiakea (Rescue Company 2) Fire Stations along with Battalion 1 and Chopper 1 responded to the scene and upon the arrival of HFD personnel, Park Rangers received calls of a person who went over the railing and while on the other side of the railing, the ground suddenly gave way and person fell over the cliff approximately 150 to 200' feet down into a heavy forested area with Ohia trees with the crater floor about another few hundred feet below. HFD and HVNP crews are working on locating the victim and determining the victim's condition.

In contrary to social media reports, their are several other incidents ongoing at the time of this incident first dispatch came out, of which one incident was patient dead on arrival (DOA) at an address in Puna. Officials are still working to confirm the condition of the victim for the HVNP incident, as rescue crews from HVNP and HFD are still working to make to safe access to the victim's location.

This is an ongoing incident and we will provide updates as they become available.