The accident happened just before midnight in front of a home, the Honolulu Fire Department said in a statement. The neighborhood is close to the Honolulu International Airport and a joint US Air Force and Navy base.
Two people were pronounced dead at the scene and the other 20 victims were transported to hospitals, according to Honolulu Emergency Medical Services.
“I have worked in emergency medical services for over 30 years and this is probably one of the worst calls I have ever had in terms of the immense tragedy, number of patients and severity of injuries said Dr. Jim Ireland, director of the Honolulu Department of Emergency Services, during a press conference Wednesday morning.
A statement from Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi put the death toll at three and said more than 20 people were seriously injured.
“This incident is a painful reminder of the danger of illegal fireworks, which endanger lives, drain our first responder resources and disrupt our communities,” Blangiardi said.
-Several social media posts overnight showed video of domestic fireworks being set off over a large portion of the city. Authorities reported four other serious fireworks injuries unrelated to the explosion.
The fire department said it was investigating the cause of the explosion and had no details on how the accident happened. He said there was no fire in the house. The victims were not immediately identified.
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