Jan. 1 (UPI) — At least three people were killed and dozens were critically injured in a massive New Year’s fireworks explosion in Hawaii.
The illegal fireworks exploded shortly after midnight Wednesday at a home in the Aliamanu neighborhood in Honolulu, according to first responders, who said two women were pronounced dead at the scene and a third woman later died from her injuries.
“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 told reporters.
“The cake fell to the side and the aerial shot into crates that contained additional fireworks, setting of what is the explosion that you saw on multiple media outlets,” Logan added.
Drones in the area and surveillance cameras picked up images of the massive fireworks explosion that lit up the night sky.