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Hawaii island police and federal authorities are investigating the death of a 35-year-old Puna man in a homemade fireworks explosion.
The explosion in the Fern Forest subdivision occurred Saturday at 2 a.m. on Ala Naulani Road.
Emergency personnel responding to the scene say the man, who was severely injured, was found lying on the floor of the home with a wound to the abdomen. He was taken to Hilo Medical Center and later flown to Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu, where he died from the injuries.
According to authorities at the scene, the deceased had been involved in constructing homemade fireworks when the incident occurred.
The man’s wife and three children were asleep in the residence at the time of the incident, but uninjured.
Police said they found materials used for constructing homemade fireworks, several firearms, and 214 marijuana plants, ranging from seedlings to approximately 2 feet tall.
The exact cause of the explosion remains under investigation.
Authorities are asking anyone with information that may assist in the probe to call the Hawaii Police Department’s non-emergency number at (808) 935-3311, or the Honolulu Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation at (808) 566-4300.