‘All I heard was the boom’: Boulder crashes into home, narrowly missing woman

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - A boulder crashed in a Palolo Valley home Saturday night, narrowly missing a woman inside.

The incident happened on Palolo Avenue around 11:45 p.m. Sunday.

The Fire Department said the boulder is about 5 feet in height and width.

Officials said the boulder crashed through the home’s cinder block wall, living room, and another wall before finally ending up in a bedroom.

A car was also damaged.

None of the four people inside the home were injured.

“There was so much adrenaline flowing that it just brought me down for a while,” said Craig Tomita, a longtime neighbor.

The Sasaki family told Hawaii News Now that they moved into this home just this month.

It’s unclear what caused the boulder to roll down — though the incident comes after days of heavy rains.

Investigators said a homeowner of another home told HFD that a smaller boulder, approximately 2 feet by 2 feet, struck his retaining wall, but did not enter his property.

On Monday, inspectors from the City Department of Planning and Permitting were on scene to assess the area. A move welcomed by the Sasakis, who are looking for answers.

“There was a concern before these even happened,” said Caroline Sasaki, who narrowly missed getting hit by the boulder.

The area has undergone many changes over the years, as seen in the picture above.

The image on the left shows what the area looked like several years ago. On the right is what it looks like now, as a cement wall holds back the hillside.

According to the state, the land above the residence is privately owned.

Where the boulder came from and what caused it to crash into the home is still under investigation.

In the meantime, the family says insurance adjusters still have to come to the home and assess the damage, and as of Monday, the boulder still remains inside their home.

Copyright 2023 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.