An explosion set off by fireworks has killed at least three people in a residential neighborhood 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.

He explained that the injuries required a “massive response”. Ireland’s department deployed 10 ambulances, and he noted the presence of ambulances from the federal fire department as well.

The explosion took place not far from a joint base for the United States Air Force and Navy. Fire engines from nearby Pearl Harbor responded to the scene.

At a news conference, Justin Brownfield, a representative for the Honolulu Fire Department, said his agency also sent eight units and two battalion chiefs. He described “massive wreckage” at the site.  “The initial units on scene were confronted by dozens of victims, including many who were critical,” Ireland said, describing his initial impressions of the scene.

The US government frequently warns about the risks associated with amateur firework use during the holiday season.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission, a government agency,reports that eight deaths and an estimated 9,700 injuries were attributed to firework use in 2023 alone.

No details have been revealed about the cause of Wednesday’s fireworks explosion in Honolulu.

But Hawaii Governor Josh Green called out the use of unpermitted fireworks in a statement responding to the blast.

The use of aerial fireworks, as well as ground-based fireworks like sparklers and fountains, are considered illegal in Oahu. “Because combating illegal fireworks has been a priority, we established the Illegal Fireworks Task Force last year to identify and disrupt supply chains,” Governor Green said in Wednesday’s statement. “It has seized 227,000 pounds [103,000kg] of illegal fireworks to date, but incidents like this remind us of the ongoing challenges we face.”

The mayor of Honolulu, Rick Blangiardi, likewise issued a press release to local media pledging to pursue stiffer penalties against those who use fireworks illegally.  “This incident is a painful reminder of the danger posed by illegal fireworks, which put lives at risk, drain our first responder resources, and disrupt our communities,” Blangiardi said in the statement.

“Year after year, a minority of individuals recklessly endanger us all. This is absurd and unacceptable. My administration remains committed to working with federal and state agencies to shut down this illegal firework trade once and for all.”

[Aljazeera]