Hawaii lava destroys first home in Pahoa

A stream of lava that has been creeping towards a Hawaii town for months has now destroyed one of the houses.

It set the home on fire just before noon on Monday, said Hawaii County Civil Defense Director Darryl Oliveira.

Tenants living in the house in Pahoa, Big Island, had already left, he said, and he estimated the building would take 30 to 40 minutes to burn down.

The lava from Kilauea volcano entered the town two weeks ago and has smothered a cemetery and two sheds.

Many residents have evacuated or have been preparing to leave.

Officials have said they would assist in arrangements for homeowners to watch their homes burn as a means of closure and to photograph the destruction for insurance purposes.

The front of the molten rock is about 480ft (145m) from the town's main street.

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