Honolulu Fire Department responded to 23 New Year’s fireworks-related incidents across Oahu that injured multiple people, including children, and caused structure and brush fires, a significant increase from last year’s holiday.
From 8 a.m. Sunday to New Year’s Day at 8 a.m., HFD reported that fireworks sparked two structure fires, in Mililani and Kaimuki. Other incidents sparked by fireworks included two dumpster fires, four rubbish fires, three wildland blazes and 12 other “miscellaneous” fires.
No deaths were reported due to fireworks this year.
However, the number of reported fireworks incidents was an almost 190% leap over last New Year’s holiday incidents, where authorities tallied eight fireworks-
related emergencies.
“None of our fires reached second-alarm status,” HFD Capt. Jaimie Song said during a news conference outside Kailua Fire Station on Monday morning. “We were able to get them under control and extinguished very quickly, so that was very fortunate.”
Song said brush fires were also extinguished quickly, including one that ignited on vacant property in Nanakuli at about 10:30 p.m. Sunday.
“They said it was like a 100-foot by 100-foot area, so really small,” she said. “Basically within 9 minutes of
arrival to the scene they had it extinguished and were available.”
Song noted that because state Department of Transportation workers had previously cleared brush on that site, the blaze was much easier to quash.
A fourth brush fire in Kapolei — one also quickly extinguished — was not sparked by fireworks, she added.
Likewise, Honolulu Emergency Services Department personnel responded to a variety of incidents including well over a dozen
assaults.
From 6 p.m. to about 11:59 p.m. Sunday evening, EMS responded to seven incidents of assault. Of those, two patients needed treatment and transport to a hospital, EMS officials said. Similarly, from midnight to about 6 a.m. Monday, EMS responded to eight assaults in which two patients were treated and taken to a
hospital.
Meantime, paramedics treated a number of injuries caused by fireworks, including to young children.
According to EMS:
>> On Sunday at 6:30 p.m., paramedics responded to Leowahine Street in Waipahu where they found a 14-year-old girl suffering from multiple injuries to her arms, legs and face after an unknown explosive went off inside a room. EMS treated the victim, who was in serious condition, and transported her to an emergency room in Honolulu for
treatment.
>> At 7:25 p.m., EMS responded to Makahani Street in Kapolei where a 67-year-old man had suffered a deep wound to his forearm, from an apparent firework blast. Paramedics treated the victim and transported him to an emergency room.
>> At 8:45 p.m., a 10-year-old boy at Waena Street in Wahiawa suffered extensive injuries to his hand after an apparent firework blast that also caused minor burns to his upper body. Paramedics treated the boy and transported him to an emergency room.
EMS responded to fireworks incidents through early Monday morning as well, including:
>> At 12:07 a.m., paramedics responded to Lamaula Road in Kaneohe where they discovered a 64-year-old man who had suffered an extensive eye injury due to an apparent fireworks blast. The victim was treated at the scene and taken to an emergency room.
>> At 12:13 a.m., paramedics were called to Kinoiki Street in Kapolei where a 6-year-old boy suffered burns when fireworks hit his legs. Paramedics evaluated the boy at the scene but determined he did not require transport to the hospital.
>> At 12:15 a.m., paramedics went to Leilani Street in Kalihi where a 35-year-old man suffered an eye injury due to an apparent fireworks blast. Arriving crews treated the victim at the scene before transporting him to an emergency room.
“Last night is probably the busiest night of the year for us,” said EMS Director Dr. James Ireland, during a news conference Monday. “We see an assortment of injuries that we don’t usually see on typical days. So it’s a very atypical, very busy day and night for Honolulu Emergency Services.”
Still, he added, besides fireworks there were “car crashes, people drinking too much, overdoses, breathing problems, typically from the smoke” of exploded fireworks.
“The firework injuries were not as many as last year,” Ireland said, adding a total of eight fireworks injuries occurred versus 12 last New Year’s holiday. “I would say six of those eight were severe; they were disfiguring and probably will have life-long changes for those six people, whether it’s the loss of a limb or the permanent loss of vision in an eye.”
He added “people suffered burns, shrapnel injuries and sadly, this year, it included three children.”
“Some of the folks that I encountered over the night, either at the scene or at the hospital, some of them were a little elusive,” Ireland said. “They weren’t as forthcoming about what happened because maybe they didn’t want to get in trouble or they were ashamed. But all of them, I think, realized the devastating natures of their injuries.”
Meanwhile, the Maui Fire Department responded to several small brush fires on an island still recovering from the deadly Aug. 8 wildfire that destroyed Lahaina.
During the period from 7:30 a.m. Sunday to 7:30 a.m. on New Year’s Day, fire crews fought small wildfires around the Valley Isle including in Haiku, Kula, Makawao, Wailuku, two in Kihei and one on Molokai.
All blazes were extinguished quickly, with no damage reported, MFD said.
Maui fire crews also responded to seven rubbish bin fires, all reported to be the result of improper fireworks use or disposal.
During the evening and overnight hours, MFD staffed two additional fire engines and one additional tanker to assist in dealing with the increased volume of fire calls typically present on New Year’s Eve
and Day, the department
reported.
Similarly, MFD reminded residents that any unused fireworks should be secured in a safe and fire-resistant container, or disposed of properly so that they cannot find their way into the hands of keiki.