Fireworks explosion in Honolulu area kills 3, injures at least 20
A deadly fireworks explosion killed three people and left several others injured in Hawaii on New Year’s Eve.
The accident occurred in a neighborhood near Honolulu just before midnight, according to a Honolulu Fire Department statement.
What to know about the victims
Two people were declared dead at the scene and another 20 victims were transported to the hospital, according to Honolulu Emergency Medical Services.
The death toll increased to three later on Wednesday and more than 20 people who were admitted to the hospital were critically injured.
"This incident is a painful reminder of the danger of illegal fireworks, which put lives at risk, drain our first responder resources, and disrupt our communities," Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi said.
The victims were not immediately identified.
A screen grab captured from a video shows fireworks during the New Year's eve in Hawaii, USA on Jan. 1, 2025. (Photo by adrianmontecinos97 via Instagram / Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images)
What happened?
The fire department and emergency personnel responded to a "mass casualty" event at a home on Keaka Drive, according to a news conference held on Wednesday evening.
Preliminary investigations and statements from witnesses at the scene revealed a person who was attending a party at the home lit an aerial cake, Honolulu Police Chief Joe Logan said.
An aerial cake is a container that has multiple aerial fireworks inside.
The large assortment of fireworks was lit in the carport of the driveway and fell on its side, shooting into crates that contained additional fireworks, Logan said, setting off an explosion.
Possible increased penalties
Hawaii Gov. Josh Green expressed his condolences during Wednesday's news conference, as well as floated the potential for higher penalties for residents who set off larger fireworks.
"These are not just fireworks. These are actually bombs," Green said.
Green noted that while he understood celebrating the new year with fireworks displays also had a cultural importance to some residents, there was no reasonable justification for people to set off such large fireworks near their homes.
"We are now living in an era where fires are less easily controlled because things are so dry, like we saw on Maui," he said. "Can you imagine if we had 100 or 50 fires as a result of fireworks like this? We would not be able to respond to all of them, which means you’d have other collateral damage and casualties.
"So that’s why it has to stop and it’s going to have to be all of us, you know, all of us are going to have to accept the fact that aerials should only be done professionally," Green said.