The blast killed three women and a young boy and injured more than 20 people (Image: Getty Images)
A three year old boy has tragically become the fourth fatality following a massive fireworks explosion in , bringing the death toll to four after three women were previously killed. The catastrophic event also left over 20 individuals with severe injuries, many suffering extensive .
Due to the limited capacity of Hawaii’s only burn centre, six victims were urgently airlifted to Phoenix, Arizona for critical care. Dr. Kevin Foster from the Arizona Burn Center provided an update during a streamed press conference, revealing that the patients, all in their 20s and 30s, are facing a long road to recovery with burns covering between 45% to nearly 80% of their bodies.
Most are under medically induced comas and require breathing tubes. Despite the severity of their conditions, Dr. Foster noted they are doing “very well” with stable vital signs, but cautioned it could take up to a year for them to resume any semblance of normal life.
Hawaiian officials have since amplified calls for a crackdown on the illegal fireworks trade, advocating for more stringent enforcement and harsher penalties in response to the tragedy.
After the disaster, Hawaii’s leaders intensified their oft-repeated calls to crack down on the state (Image: Getty)
According to Foster, the patients will likely develop post-traumatic stress disorder, adding that the burn center has a team of mental health professionals, including two full-time psychologists and a psychiatrist, to provide support. Foster noted that burn injuries, particularly those of this nature, can have a profound psychological impact, reports
“There’s something uniquely and particularly horrifying about being burned, especially from this type of injury,” he said. “And we anticipate that all of these patients are going to have some adjustment issues.”
Many patients underwent emergency surgery before being transferred from Hawaii, with some suffering from traumatic injuries, including those caused by explosions and projectiles.
The Arizona Burn Center has already performed multiple surgeries, with plans for further procedures to focus on wound closure and skin grafting. However, Foster warned that infections are a major concern for burn patients, and it’s likely that all patients will experience them at some point.
“It’s just the way burn injury works, especially when you have large percent-of-total-body-surface-area burns like this,” he explained. The resulting scars and physical limitations will likely be the most significant long-term effects, making these injuries lifelong.
Hawaii’s diverse population has a long-standing tradition of celebrating New Year’s with fireworks. However, in recent years, professional-grade aerial explosives have become increasingly popular, despite being illegal for amateurs.
Across Oahu, neighbourhoods light up for hours as residents launch aerial fireworks into the sky from the narrow streets outside their homes. Honolulu authorities report that an individual at a party ignited a bundle of aerial fireworks, which tipped over and fired explosives into two crates containing additional aerials.
Footage of the ensuing explosion shows a rapid succession of blasts propelling fireworks into the air and around the front of a house. Hawaii’s counties have different regulations regarding other types of fireworks. On Oahu, the state’s most populous island, only specific types of firecrackers are permitted during certain periods on New Year’s Eve, Chinese New Year, and Fourth of July. Nevertheless, many residents set off all kinds of fireworks throughout the year.