HONOLULU -- Honolulu firefighters were trying to account for all the residents of the Kapiolani Manor apartment building Tuesday morning, after a fire that sent two people to the hospital.

The three-alarm fire broke out just before 9 a.m. in the 27-story building at 1655 Makaloa Street.

The blaze began in unit 2509 on the 25th floor, according to HFD spokesman Capt. Terry Seelig. The apartment’s owner, Felix Almestica, told reporters he left four candles burning "for religious purposes" and had been gone from his unit for about an hour when the fire started. (Read More)

Paramedics transported three women suffering from smoke inhalation to Straub Clinic and Hospital, according to fire officials. A 96-year-old woman was found unresponsive. She was last reported in critical condition.

A 78-year-old woman also went to Straub. She was listed in serious condition.

Firefighters rescued a 43-year-old woman who was trapped on her lanai. She was taken to the hospital as a precaution.

At least three other people were treated at the scene.

"Everybody was like sleeping, just waking up, going to work, and all of a sudden the fire bells started ringing and on the 25th floor there's a big fire going on," Kapiolani Manor resident Daxs Moore said.

At least two people were rescued from the 25th floor, firefighters said. Some people could be seen waving for help from their lanais. Witnesses said the hallways were full of smoke and it was difficult to find the exit stairways.

"A real challenge is an interior fire. There's no exterior exposed hallway so therefore it is smoke filled, hot and difficult to get to the fire," Seelig said.

The fire appears to have spread from the 25th floor to units above. The fire department says apartments below and next to the unit where the fire started were not damaged by the fire, but the extent of water damage was not immediately known.

Many of the residents were trapped on the 25th and 26th floors. Horrified people watched from below.

"I saw a guy calling for help in a red shirt and a white towel, and it was just smoking and he was calling for help. He was just getting engulfed in smoke," witness Maurice Crabbe said.

Firefighters on the scene said it was fortunate that the blaze happened when it did, while a lot of building residents were at work or school.

Fifty firefighters responded to the fire, which was declared under control in 27 minutes.

The 400-unit apartment building was built in 1970, before Honolulu building codes required fire sprinklers to be installed in high rises. There were no sprinklers in the building.