Honolulu fire investigators say a fire that nearly gutted a home on Wilhelmina Rise early Friday morning was intentionally set.

Fire patterns led to the determination, according to fire officials.  The case was handed over to Honolulu police.

The first call for the two-alarm fire on Center Street came just after 6 am.

Video from a neighbor caught the intensity of the flames that tore through the single story home on Center Drive.

At the first call, Honolulu firefighters quickly recognized they had a significant fire on their hands.

"There was smoke showing when the first company left the station, so they called for a second alarm. When they got here, they found heavy flames coming from at least half of the house," said HFD spokesman Capt. Terry Seelig.

That first call came from a neighbor who said smoke alarms next door was what woke him up.   What he did next may have saved lives.

"You could see the fire across the way.  So, I went outside to see if everyone was up. No one was up, so I went straight to their window and woke them up. I told them, 'Hey, your kitchen is on fire.'"  I ran back and called the fire department," said the neighbor who asked to not be identified.

The fire spread quickly through the home and the flames were close enough to feel the heat

"It was pretty close.  I mean, I could have sprayed the hose into the kitchen, but then I heard like a pop or loud explosion, so I got out of there," said the neighbor.