10 arrests made by the Honolulu Police Department following a tragic explosion caused by illegal fireworks

A tragedy engulfed the people of Honolulu on New Year’s eve following the explosion of illegal fireworks that caused the deaths of five people, including three women and a three-year old boy. About 20 more people were injured in the explosion. The police have so far arrested 10 people, with more arrests to be expected, as per The Independent.

The fresh arrests made by the police include a 32-year-old man and a 31-year-old woman, who were arrested after being suspected of reckless endangerment, along with endangering a minor’s welfare and several fireworks offenses. The other arrests made in the case are that of a 29-year-old man and a 28-year-old, as reported by The Independent. Earlier, the police had arrested three couples, but whether those include the parents of young victims or the injured has not been disclosed by the police.

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The explosions happened when a lit bundle of mortar-style aerials tipped over, leading to the ignition of crates of unlit fireworks which caused a sequence of blasts.

The case of the fireworks

In recent years, the use of illegal fireworks, especially the aerials meant for professional shows, has become quite common in the island state of Hawaii. This is common mainly on the year-end holiday festivities, often on the narrow residential streets.

Due to the limited resources in Hawaii for critical burn injuries on a large scale, six patients were airlifted by the US Air Force on January 4 to Phoenix for their treatment at the Arizona Burn Center, as per Yahoo News. The airlifted patients were placed in a medically induced coma before being shifted to the mainland. According to Dr. Kevin Foster, director of the Arizona Burn Center, some patients are expected to remain in that state for months.

The police crack down on the fireworks

The Honolulu police have effectively seized 500 pounds (227 kilograms) of unused fireworks from the scene, according to The Independent. They have been forwarding the case to the Honolulu Department of the Prosecuting Attorney. According to the police, the work is ongoing with prosecutors on the charges but there has been a delay due to the number of people arrested, a bulk of evidence being studied and the fireworks being examined.

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FAQs:

Q1. How many people are reported dead in the Honolulu fireworks explosions?
A. Five people have been reported dead so far in the explosions.

Q2. Where is Honolulu located?
A. Honolulu is located on the island state of Hawaii and is its capital.