HONOLULU, Hawaii –
A fireworks explosion on New Year’s Eve in a Honolulu-area neighborhood killed at least three people and seriously injured 20 others, authorities said.
The accident occurred shortly before midnight outside a home, the Honolulu Fire Department said in a statement. The neighborhood is near Honolulu International Airport and a joint U.S. Air Force-Navy base and just over two miles east of the USS Arizona Memorial, which honors the Sailors who died in the attack on Pearl Harbor that brought the US into World War II.
Two people were pronounced dead at the scene and the other 20 victims were transported to hospitals, according to Honolulu Emergency Medical Services.
“I’ve been in EMS for over 30 years and this is probably one of the worst calls I’ve ever received as far as the immense tragedy, the number of patients and the severity of the injuries,” said Dr. Jim, Department Director. of Honolulu Emergency Services. Ireland said in a press conference early Wednesday.
A statement from Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi put the death toll at three and said more than 20 people were seriously injured.
“This incident is a painful reminder of the danger of illegal fireworks, which put lives at risk, deplete our first responder resources and disrupt our communities,” Blangiardi said.
Several social media posts overnight showed videos of domestic fireworks being launched over a wide area of the city. Authorities reported four other serious fireworks injuries unrelated to the explosion.
The fire department said it was investigating the cause of the explosion and did not have details about how the accident occurred. He said there was no fire in the house. The victims were not immediately identified.
