Fireworks in Hawaii home spark deadly explosion, killing at least three

Both the state governor and mayor of Honolulu pledged to crack down on illegal fireworks in the aftermath of the blast.

An explosion set off by fireworks has killed at least three people in a residential neighbourhood in Honolulu, Hawaii, marking a tragic start to the new year on the island of Oahu. Two were pronounced dead on the scene.

The blast happened just after midnight local time (10:00 GMT) on Wednesday, as revellers celebrated the arrival of New Year’s Day. As many as 20 others were injured.

The explosion took place at a house, and drone footage of the blast shows a profusion of fireworks erupting into a column of smoke against the night sky.

Jim Ireland, the director of the Honolulu Emergency Services Department, said he saw many burns and “blast-type injuries” when he arrived at the site of the explosion, including from shrapnel.

“I’ve been in the EMS [emergency medical services] for over 30 years, and this is probably the worst call I’ve ever been on, as far as just the immense tragedy and amount of patients and the severity of the injuries,” Ireland said.