Illegal fireworks light up Oahu’s sky on New Year’s, keeping first responders busy

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Revelers rang in 2024 with a night sky full of illegal aerial fireworks.

This came despite pleas from government officials to abide by fireworks law — and a crackdown on fireworks shipments from a special task force.

The bright display was seen across the island keeping emergency responders busy overnight.

“Last night is probably the busiest night of the year for us. We see an assortment of injuries that we don’t usually see on typical days,” Head of Honolulu EMS Jim Ireland said.

Ireland said while fireworks injuries were down from last year from 12 to eight, six of the eight were severe.

“They were disfiguring and will have life long changes for the people for those six people whether it’s a loss of limb or a permanent loss of vision in an eye”

At last check, Honolulu Emergency Medical Services said there were at least six people in serious condition, including three children:

• In Waipahu, at around 6:30 p.m. a 14-year-old girl suffered multiple injuries to her arms, legs and face after an unknown explosive went off inside a room.
• In Kapolei, a 67-year-old was in serious condition after getting suffering a deep laceration to his forearm from an apparent firework blast.
• Also in Kapolei, shortly after midnight a 6-year-old boy was treated for burns after a firework hit him in the legs but officials said he did not get transported to an emergency room.
• At around 8:45 p.m. in Whitmore, EMS said a 10-year-old boy suffered extensive injuries to his hand along with minor burns to his upper body after an apparent firework blast.
• In Kahaluu, officials said a 64-year-old man was taken to the emergency room after suffering an extensive eye injury from an apparent fireworks explosion.
• In Honolulu, another man, 35, suffered an eye injury from a firework blast. EMS said it treated him with advanced life support and transported him to the nearest hospital.
• In Waianae at around 2:45 a.m., EMS said it treated a 20-year-old man who suffered a hand injury from an apparent firework blast.

“If one year is a trend, we went from 12 to eight, maybe next year it will be even less but again, one is too many,” Ireland said.

Last Friday, another man was seriously injured after a firework went off in his hand in West Oahu. EMS officials said the 48-year-old man drove himself to an emergency room where he received treatment.

Sunday evening there were 23 fireworks-related fires, according to Honolulu Fire Department — two were structure fires and three were brush fires. None of the fires reached two-alarms status.

“They have been doing a lot of work clearing areas and brush after the Lahaina fires so Honolulu Fire Dept. identified some high risk areas and state DOT has been clearing those areas and because of that work that fire did not spread,” Honolulu Fire Department’s Jaimie Song said.