HILO, Hawai'i — Big Island Mayor Harry Kim was flown to a Honolulu hospital yesterday after suffering his second heart attack in a little over a month and his third in about three years.

County finance director William Takaba said Kim, 69, was working at county Civil Defense headquarters when he began feeling ill yesterday morning, and went to the Central Fire Station to be checked out.

From the fire station he was taken to Hilo Medical Center, and then airlifted to The Queen's Medical Center. He was listed in stable condition last night, according to a hospital spokesman.

Kim suffered a heart attack at home on Aug. 10, and an earlier one in Civil Defense headquarters in May 2005.

Kim has been mayor of Hawai'i County since 2000 and was the county Civil Defense administrator from 1976 to 2000.

Kaua'i's Mayor Bryan J. Baptiste earlier this year suffered cardiac arrest at home, and died June 22 at Wilcox Hospital at age 52.