It all began on the night of December 31st in the heart of Hawaii, in its state capital and the most populous city: Honolulu. At first, everything seemed innocent— or did it? While Hawaii’s New Year’s Eve celebrations, like most festivities, are known for their eccentricity, this one appeared more complex than it seemed. The situation involved importing illegal fireworks, allowing underage children to light dangerous explosives, and adults refusing to take responsibility for six (pending number) deaths, over 20 people with third-degree burns, and six individuals overseas clinging to life through machines and medicine. So, let’s dive into what really happened and how everything went so wrong, so fast.
The Story
On December 31st, 2024, in Honolulu, during a New Year’s Eve party, a neighborhood experienced “the Big Bang Theory” for the second time. Just before midnight, a large group of people gathered around a highly dangerous and illegal mortar-style firework bundle. Not only were many dangerous fireworks piled together, but they were also placed on a wobbly folding table in the middle of the driveway. The trouble started as soon as it was lit. The explosion was so powerful that it knocked the fireworks off the table, sending them into an open garage filled with other highly dangerous firework bundles. The fireworks shot into the sky and struck nearby structures, including houses. Many people were immediately hit by the intense heat and force, suffering injuries. When EMS arrived, two people were declared dead on the spot, while others were rushed to hospitals for treatment, primarily for severe burns.
The Victims
With over 20 patients rushed to the nearest hospital for treatment, doctors compared their wounds to battle and war injuries. After extensive care and examination, six patients were flown out by the U.S. military to Phoenix, Arizona, for specialized burn treatment. The patients, aged in their 20s to 30s, are recovering very slowly. The person with the least amount of burns has over 45% of their body injured, while the most severely injured has well over 80% of their body covered in burns. As they progress through recovery, the six patients are on breathing tubes, and five are in medically induced comas. Although the hospital is providing as much care as possible, doctors say it could take anywhere from six months to a year before any of them are living normal lives again. Dr. Kevin Foster, the director of the Arizona Burn Center, says, “Four patients will likely have to remain intubated and in a coma for weeks.” With operations scheduled for Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, once those are complete, the focus will shift to closing and healing the wounds. EMS services have confirmed six deaths so far, with the unfortunate potential for that number to rise. Two were declared dead on-site, and the other 4 passed during treatment at the hospital. Both the hospital in Hawaii and the one in Phoenix hope to save the remaining patients from this tragic incident.
The Fireworks and Their Allegations
In Hawaii, fireworks shows are notorious for special occasions and even on regular days. However, many fireworks are illegal and restricted throughout the year, with some available only on holidays and others completely banned. Despite these laws, many people on the island don’t seem to care about the restrictions. Not only did this party involve lighting highly dangerous fireworks in such a small area, but they also imported and flew in illegal firework bundles specifically for their notorious New Year’s Eve party. At the moment, the Honolulu Police Department (HPD) is gathering more evidence to pursue charges for fireworks-related crimes in addition to the manslaughter charges already being filed.
The Arrested and Their Testimony
In Hawaii, the state requirements for purchasing and lighting fireworks are that you must be 18 years of age and possess a signed permit. Both of these laws were violated during the firework incident when a couple allowed their three children, including one as young as one year old, to light fireworks. Additionally, the one-year-old child was severely injured after the lighting and explosion. Since the incident, police have arrested five couples (10 people total), including the parents of the injured child. However, they were released the following day due to a law stating, “HPD has 48 hours to investigate and charge them, or they must be released.” Meanwhile, HPD is still gathering evidence to determine what crimes the adults will be held accountable for. Former City Prosecutor Megan Kau explained, “The prosecutor looked at the case and decided there just isn’t enough evidence to charge the couple with the charges that HPD brought. Or, number two, the prosecutor looked at the case and decided additional investigation was needed, other witnesses needed to be examined, or surveillance video needed to be found.” Along with charges of reckless endangerment and endangering the welfare of a minor, police said last week they confiscated 500 pounds of unused fireworks from the scene of the blast. This means that whichever couple or couples were responsible for possessing these fireworks will face additional firework-related offenses along with their other charges. Additionally, Hawaii’s Governor, Josh Green, has requested police to issue $300 tickets to those who shoot fireworks and impose Class A felony charges, along with decades in prison, for those whose fireworks lead to serious injuries or deaths. As of February 10th, more evidence is still being collected, and cases are being developed by HPD to be brought to court for prosecution.
Through all the hardship that occurred on one night, people are still recovering, and police are still investigating to gather the most important evidence to make thorough charges against those responsible. Although this incident happened over a month ago, cases are still being dealt with, and verdicts will be made soon about who is responsible, ensuring they are held accountable.
Works Cited:
Mcavoy. A. (2025, January 6). A 3-year-old boy’s death in Honolulu fireworks explosion raises to 4. Ap News. https://apnews.com/article/hawaii-fireworks-explosion-death-fc7f0507b9efe2cd71940c6589d9808f
Holdridge, W. A. (2025, January 30). USA TODAY. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/01/29/hawaii-fireworks-explosion/78021443007/
Consilio, K. (2025, January 30). Man, Woman arrested for Aliamanu fireworks explosion released pending investigation, lack of evidence. ISLAND NEWS. https://www.kitv.com/news/man-woman-arrested-for-aliamanu-fireworks-explosion-released-pending-investigation-lack-of-evidence/article_0a217486-dd29-11ef-8c27-e7186a7cec8d.html
Mcavoy. A. (2025, February 5). Honolulu records 6th death from massive explosion of illegal New Year’s Fireworks. abc NEWS. https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/honolulu-records-6th-death-massive-explosion-illegal-fireworks-118500158