By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Hawaii hopes stricter laws will quiet illegal fireworks after deadly New Year's Eve blast
preview.jpg
FILE - A woman stands in front of the home where a New Year's Eve firework explosion killed and injured people, Jan. 1, 2025, in Honolulu. - photo by AP Photo/Marco Garcia, File
HONOLULU (AP) — Mike Lambert heard fewer illegal fireworks exploding in his suburban Honolulu neighborhood in the months after a chain of blasts at a house party last New Year's Eve led to the deaths of six people, including a 3-year-old boy. As the director of Hawaii's Department of Law Enforcement, Lambert wondered if the tragedy had sparked a shift in Hawaii residents' penchant for igniting illegal fireworks. In some neighborhoods, it would be common to hear loud booms any time of day or night — for sporting events, celebrations or no apparent reason at all.