Homemade-fireworks explosion kills Puna man

Hawaii island police and federal authorities are investigating the death of a 35-year-old Puna man in an explosion of homemade fireworks.

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 The Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu, where he died from the injuries.

The man’s wife and three children were asleep in the residence at the time of the incident but not injured.

The Hawaii Police Department identified Jesse Thornton, 35, as the man who died from the explosion. Thornton reportedly built fireworks as a hobby, and police said that materials used for constructing homemade fireworks were found as part of its investigation into the fatal explosion.

The exact cause of the explosion remains under investigation, but a GoFundMe page created for funeral expenses incurred by Thornton’s family said that he was “doing what Jesse loves to do and was trying to perfect building fireworks,” but a firework accidentally exploded in his hand.

The page said that he sustained injuries to his liver and colon, and he had multiple fractures to his hand as well as a broken rib.

HPD thinks the fireworks materials were legally bought online and shipped to Hawaii, although it is still investigating whether any local fireworks laws were violated.

Several firearms and 214 cannabis plants, ranging from seedlings to approximately 2 feet tall, were also found, but HPD did not indicate they were directly related to the explosion.

Thornton’s family was not immediately available for comment.

Authorities are asking anyone with information that might assist in the probe to call the Hawaii Police Department’s non­emergency number at 808-935-3311, or the Honolulu Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation at 808-566-4300.