The New Year’s Eve fireworks accidental explosion in Aliamanu, Oahu that killed three women and injured dozens was bound to happen. For years illegal backyard shows, illegal aerials and other contraband fireworks have been going off in nearly every neighborhood on Oahu.
Let this sink in — the Aliamanu explosion could have happened in your neighborhood amid the fireworks lawlessness everywhere. And to those stockpiling and lighting up illegal fireworks each year, take this New Year’s Eve devasting explosion to heart and consider yourself lucky that you’ve escaped such a tragedy.
For years there has been a push to stop illegal fireworks, mostly based on health issues for those having breathing difficulties or threats of fire breaking out. Contraband fireworks have gotten far more dangerous than say 30-40 years ago when aerial fireworks were fairly uncommon. But greater demand for aerials and their increasing popularity have made New Year’s celebrations exponentially more dangerous, and we now know, potentially deadly.
In the Aliamanu explosion, reports say a party attendee lit an ariel “cake” which is a series of fireworks that go off into the air in quick succession, creating the colorful displays high in the sky that people enjoy watching, However, the cake tipped over, instead of shooting into the air, the fireworks shot into nearby crates in the garage containing other fireworks, which all then ignited into a massive bomb-like inferno.
It’s important to emphasize here the type of illegal fireworks that caused the explosion and to comment there is a reason why certain fireworks are considered illegal, and others are not. State law prohibits possession of aerial devices and display fireworks. These fireworks pose a danger because they unpredictably propel to places and distances far from the confines of a limited, controlled environment. Not only can aerials set off an explosion as in the Aliamanu incident, but they could also potentially ignite fires to homes and brush.
Additionally, given the Maui wildfires, shouldn’t we all know better not to put our communities at risk? The Aliamanu home looks to be made mostly of concrete. But what if it was constructed of wood like many homes around Oahu, particularly in newer communities. An entire neighborhood or neighborhoods could have gone up in flames.
When tradition becomes a public safety risk
Fireworks is a long-held deeply rooted tradition in Hawaii. Almost everyone who grew up in Hawaii has participated in lighting fireworks or gathered in front of a family fireworks backyard show at some time.
But it’s now time, perhaps long overdue, for our communities to come together to stop “illegal” fireworks. And this could mean doing perhaps what Hawaii folks don’t like doing, and that is reporting our neighbors who set off illegal fireworks. This is a tough call to make but think about the alternative disaster that could happen.
Gov. Josh Green said in light of this tragedy, he plans to stiffen penalties for those who possess fireworks contraband. The current state law is that unauthorized possession or use of fireworks is a Class C felony carrying a penalty of up to five years in prison and fines up to $10,000. This is already a stiff penalty but has not deterred illegal fireworks use.
The state’s Illegal Fireworks Task Force established under Green in 2023 has reported seizing large quantities of illegal fireworks, and its efforts include intercepting shipments of illegal fireworks, often from overseas, and disrupting the supply chain. In its first year, a total of approximately 93.5 tons of illegal fireworks were confiscated, followed by more than 20 tons in 2024.
Clearly, there has been action taken on multiple fronts by law enforcement and lawmakers, and the existing penalties arguably are already stiff. What needs to happen? Education of the risks and penalties needs to better reach our communities. But more importantly, we need to realize ourselves that we no longer want to use illegal and dangerous fireworks, stop buying them and cut the demand. This is how to stop shipments of illegal fireworks.
Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi was right when he said, “No one should have to endure such pain due to reckless and illegal activity. This incident is a painful reminder of the danger posed by illegal fireworks. They put lives at risk, they drain our first responders, and they disrupt our neighborhoods. But most heartbreakingly, this tragedy was entirely preventable. New Year’s Eve should be a time of joy, not danger. Yet the growing prevalence of illegal fireworks on our island has turned it into a night of risk and devastation. Year after year, this threat persists, and it must stop.”
It’s unrealistic nor is it necessary to ban fireworks altogether. Tradition can still be observed with “legal” use of consumer fireworks such as sparklers, fountains and those deemed legal under state law.
It’s no secret that our Filipino community has a love affair with the fireworks tradition given the abundance of fireworks in our neighborhoods like Waipahu, Kalihi and Ewa. We have work in our own Filipino community to educate each other of the risks, as well as the rest of our Hawaii communities.
Let’s finally put an end to illegal fireworks. It’s encouraging to hear the Governor and Honolulu Mayor come out strongly with an action plan going forward. But really, it will take the entire community working together to put a stop to it. Don’t buy into the argument that this was one careless bad apple spoiling it for the rest of us. The accidental explosion could have happened to anyone stockpiling illegal aerials.
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