KIHEI — Three vehicles and a portable toilet were torched in another series of arson fires early yesterday morning in Kihei, police said.

The three fires were reported within a half-hour, starting at 5 a.m. and occurring within a half-mile stretch along South Kihei Road.
The first fire ignited a black Nissan four-door sedan and a black 1994 Mitsubishi sedan that were parked at the Paradise Gardens complex, said Lt. John Jakubczak of the Criminal Investigation Division. He said damage was estimated at more than $1,500 to each car.
“Both cars blew up,” said Sean Aquino, resident manager of Paradise Gardens. “It sounded like two gunshots, with the tires exploding. It was so close. Everybody could hear it.”
Aquino said both cars had been abandoned in the parking lot of the complex on South Kihei Road near Kulanihakoi Street. Neither vehicle owner lives at Paradise Gardens, he said.
At 5:16 a.m., as police officers were responding to the complex at 851 South Kihei Road, they saw a portable toilet on fire at a Betsill Brothers construction site on Wai'apo Street, Jakubczak said. He said firefighters extinguished that blaze, which caused $800 in damage.
The construction site is just south of Paradise Gardens.
Continuing south, a third fire was reported at 5:30 a.m. to a 1996 Ford van that was parked fronting Kau Hale Makai in the 900 block of South Kihei Road, police said. Damage was estimated at $1,000 to the front passenger seat, front passenger door and roof of the van.
A resident reported seeing two Caucasian males walking away from the vehicle fires at Paradise Gardens, Jakubczak said.
He said another resident saw two Caucasian males leaving the area in a black truck.
With an investigation continuing, police haven't determined whether the three fires were related, Jakubczak said.
He said police also haven't determined whether the fires yesterday are related to seven vehicle fires that occurred with 45 minutes early Saturday morning in a Kihei neighborhood a few miles away.
Damage was estimated at $20,500 to the vehicles burned in five fires from 1:06 to 1:47 a.m. Saturday, starting near LuLu's restaurant and bar in Kihei Kalama Village.
Anyone with information about the fires is asked to call Maui Crime Stoppers at 242-6966.
Callers to Crime Stoppers remain anonymous.
Crime Stoppers pays cash rewards of up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest and indictment of people responsible for felony crimes.