Dust Settles on US Fireworks Disaster, Three Dead and Dozens Injured
A tragic fireworks explosion occurred in a residential neighborhood of Honolulu as 2025 began, resulting in at least three fatalities and around two dozen injuries. The incident happened shortly after midnight when an aerial firework was ignited at a party but tipped over, igniting additional fireworks stored nearby. honolulu Police Chief Joe Logan provided details indicating that the explosion was triggered by this chain reaction, sparking widespread devastation.
Emergency responders described the injuries as horrific, with severe trauma reported, and there are fears that more victims may succumb to their injuries in the coming days. Governor Josh Green stated that some victims suffered life-threatening injuries comparable to those seen in war zones.
Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi emphasized the urgent need to address illegal fireworks, highlighting the dangers they pose to community safety. Dr. James Ireland, the city’s Emergency Services director, remarked on the unprecedented severity of the injuries resulting from this tragic event, labeling it one of the worst emergencies in his lengthy career in emergency medical services.
At least three people are dead and about two dozen were injured as 2025 began, when a fireworks explosion took place in a Honolulu neighborhood.
Police said the disaster occurred when one aerial firework touched off a chain reaction explosion.
“Based on the preliminary review and nearby surveillance footage, evidence from the scene, and witness statements, it appears that shortly after midnight, a person who attended the party lit an aerial cake, which is a container containing multiple aerial fireworks in the driveway at the carport,” Honolulu Police Chief Joe Logan said, according to Hawaii News Now.
“The cake fell to the side, and the aerial shot into crates that contained additional fireworks, setting off what is the explosion that you saw on multiple media outlets and social media posts at this time,” he said.
BREAKING
According to Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi, three people are dead and 22 are injured after a fireworks explosion in Salt Lake last night.
More info on https://t.co/Kq4R9tc11A and the KHON2 News tonight.
Video courtesy Renee Ramos pic.twitter.com/cqdLHXAYYu
— Sam Spangler (@SamSpanglerHI) January 1, 2025
Gov. Josh Green said the injuries inflicted on the dead and wounded were horrendous.
“The truth is that people had traumatic injuries so badly that brain material was across the sidewalk from the ferocity of this explosion, and we want people to hear that because that is what is really possible with these explosive fireworks,” he said.
At least three people are dead and two dozen are injured after a New Year’s Eve fireworks explosion in a Honolulu residential neighborhood, officials say. https://t.co/oLoapzf8GA
— NBC News (@NBCNews) January 2, 2025
“Some of the deceased had injuries that were that tragic, that traumatic. We’re talking about the worst possible war zone injuries that took their lives,” he said.
Green said more deaths are likely.
“And in the next couple of days, it’s highly likely that some of the people that didn’t even look that bad will die because their lungs were burned out. And that’s what you happen to see when explosions happen right in front of you,” he said.
NEW
Two died and 22 others have been injured due to a fireworks explosion in Honolulu, Hawaii. pic.twitter.com/yUClrwbcaT
— Insider Corner (@insiderscorner) January 1, 2025
Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi said he wants to crack down on illegal fireworks.
“This incident is a painful reminder of the danger posed by illegal fireworks. They put our lives at risk; they drain our first responders; and they disrupt our neighborhoods,” he said. “We cannot allow this senseless danger to persist, and we will take decisive action to ensure the safety and well-being of our Oahu residents.”
Dr. James Ireland, director of Honolulu’s Department of Emergency Services, said the disaster was unique in his experience, according to NBC.
“I’ve been in EMS for over 30 years, and this is probably one of the worst calls I’ve ever been on as far as just the immense tragedy and amount of patients and severity of the injuries,” he said.
“It was something that not a lot of us have experienced before and never want to again,” he said, according to The New York Times.
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