- Three people were killed and more than 20 injured in a fireworks incident in Honolulu on New Year's Eve.
- Gov. Josh Green said he is considering whether new penalties, such as a felony charge for possession of large fireworks, are needed to curb fireworks in Hawaii.
- A fourth person was killed in a separate fireworks explosion elsewhere on Oahu, officials said. At least four other serious injuries occurred overnight in unrelated fireworks accidents.
Emergency services to chaotic and gruesome scene after large New Year's fireworks tip over after being ignited near Honolulu, resulting in a fiery explosion that leaves three people dead and more than 20 injured, some seriously. The squad has arrived.
Two women died at the scene and a third woman died at the hospital, authorities said on Wednesday, urging people to stop setting off fireworks across the city, a New Year's tradition. Authorities have promised tougher penalties for illegal fireworks.
Hawaii Gov. Josh Green painted a graphic picture of the death toll at a press conference Wednesday to highlight the potential dangers of fireworks. “We're talking about the worst injuries that took their lives on the battlefield.”
Las Vegas police say the Cybertruck that exploded at the Trump Hotel was loaded with fuel containers and a large fireworks mortar.
Officials said more than 20 people were taken to hospitals with severe burns and shrapnel injuries, including children, and the identities of the victims, including the deceased, have not yet been released.
Honolulu Police Chief Arthur Logan said police are investigating whether charges are warranted against the person who ignited the fireworks near midnight.
The explosion occurred in a three-story house with a carport on the bottom floor. A pile of debris, including a bundle of blackened firework mortars, could be seen in front of the house during the day Wednesday.
A view of the home where people were killed and injured in a New Year's Eve fireworks explosion in Honolulu on January 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)
The explosion shattered a window across the street. This occurred when a lit bundle of mortar-shaped aerial fireworks, known as a “cake,” tipped over or fell off a table and was side-fired into a wooden box containing additional fireworks, causing it to explode.
The round part of the cake was able to separate, but it was lit in bundles of 50 pieces, some of which authorities say were set off in tens of thousands of dollars worth of fireworks at the home.
Honolulu Emergency Services Director Dr. Jim Ireland said paramedics arrived, but with parked cars and people gathering on the streets, they were unable to triage the victim several houses away with severe injuries. It was necessary to first isolate and treat the patient.
Officials said some people nearby continued to set off fireworks while the explosion victims were taken to the hospital.
The area is near Honolulu International Airport and the U.S. Air Force/Navy Joint Base, and just over three miles east of the USS Arizona Memorial, which commemorates the sailors killed in the attack on Pearl Harbor that brought the United States into World War II. It's in the distance.
“I've been a paramedic for over 30 years, and in terms of the sheer amount of tragedy and the number of patients and the severity of the injuries, this is probably the worst I've ever suffered,” Ireland said at a previous press conference. One of the worst calls I've ever had.”
A fourth person was killed in a separate fireworks explosion elsewhere on Oahu, officials said. At least four other serious injuries occurred overnight in unrelated fireworks accidents.
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Even though sparklers, fountains and aerial fireworks are illegal and a permit is required to set off firecrackers, social media posts show people setting off fireworks across large areas of Honolulu overnight, according to the Honolulu Fire Department. It was done.
“We are angry, frustrated and deeply saddened by the unnecessary loss of life and suffering. It is a tragic start to the new year,” Mayor Rick Blangiardi said in a statement. “No one should have to endure such pain due to reckless and illegal conduct.”
Green said he is considering whether new penalties, including a felony charge for possession of large fireworks, are needed to curb fireworks in Hawaii.
