Emergency crews arrived to a chaotic and gruesome scene in a Honolulu neighborhood after a large New Year's firework tipped over after being lit and ignited a fiery, shrapnel-studded blast that killed three people and injured more than 20 others, several of them critically.
Two women died at the scene and a third woman died at a hospital, authorities said Wednesday as they implored people to abandon their New Year's tradition of setting off fireworks across the city. Officials promised tougher penalties for illegal fireworks.
Click to Gallery
A woman walks in front of the home where a New Year's Eve fireworks explosion killed and injured people, Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025, in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)
A woman sweeps debris from a driveway across the street from the home where a New Year's Eve fireworks explosion killed and injured people, Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025, in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)
Fireworks debris is seen outside the home where a New Year's Eve fireworks explosion killed and injured people, Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025, in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)
Evelyn Paguirigan points to broken windows at her home across the street from where a New Year's Eve fireworks explosion killed and injured people in Honolulu, on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)
A view of the home where a New Year's Eve fireworks explosion killed and injured people, Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025, in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)
Hawaii Gov. Josh Green graphically described the deaths in a news conference Wednesday to emphasize the potential danger of fireworks. “We’re talking about the worst possible, war-zone injuries that took their lives.”
Some of the more than 20 people taken to hospitals with severe burns and shrapnel wounds included children, said officials who had not yet publicly identified any victims including those killed.
Police were investigating whether charges for the person who lit the firework near midnight were warranted, Honolulu Police Chief Arthur Logan said.
The blast happened at a three-story home with a bottom-level carport. Piles of debris including bundles of blackened firework mortars could be seen in front of the house in Wednesday's daylight.
The explosion broke windows across the street. It happened when a lit bundle of aerial, mortar-style fireworks called a “cake” tipped over or fell off a table and fired sideways into crates containing additional fireworks, which then exploded.
The cake's rounds could be separated but had been lit as a bundle of 50, part of what officials said was tens of thousands of dollars' worth of fireworks at the home.
Ambulance crews arrived but had to triage — separate and treat victims with the worst injuries first — several houses away because of parked cars and crowds on the streets, Honolulu Emergency Services Department Director Dr. Jim Ireland said.
Some people nearby continued setting off fireworks even as blast victims were being taken to hospitals, officials said.
The neighborhood is near Honolulu's international airport and a joint U.S. Air Force and Navy base and a little more than 2 miles (3.22 kilometers) east of the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial, which honors sailors who died in the attack on Pearl Harbor that drew the U.S. into World War II.
“I’ve been in EMS over 30 years and this is probably one of the worst calls I’ve ever been on as far as the immense tragedy and amount of patients and severity of the injuries,” Ireland said in an earlier news conference.
A fourth person was killed in a different fireworks explosion elsewhere on Oahu, officials said. At least four other serious injuries occurred in unrelated fireworks accidents overnight.
Social media posts overnight showed fireworks being set off across wide areas of Honolulu even though sparklers, fountains and aerial fireworks are illegal and a permit is required to set off firecrackers, according to the Honolulu Fire Department.
“We’re angry, frustrated and deeply saddened at this unnecessary loss of life and suffering. It’s a tragic way to start the new year,” Mayor Rick Blangiardi said. “No one should have to endure such pain due to a reckless and illegal activity.”
Green said he was looking into whether new penalties including a felony charge for possessing large fireworks are needed to curtail fireworks in Hawaii.
Gruver reported from Cheyenne, Wyoming. John Hanna contributed to this report from Topeka, Kansas.
A woman walks in front of the home where a New Year's Eve fireworks explosion killed and injured people, Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025, in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)
A woman sweeps debris from a driveway across the street from the home where a New Year's Eve fireworks explosion killed and injured people, Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025, in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)
Fireworks debris is seen outside the home where a New Year's Eve fireworks explosion killed and injured people, Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025, in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)
Evelyn Paguirigan points to broken windows at her home across the street from where a New Year's Eve fireworks explosion killed and injured people in Honolulu, on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)
A view of the home where a New Year's Eve fireworks explosion killed and injured people, Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025, in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)
PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (AP) — Nicole Kidman gave a long-awaited dedication to her late mother Friday night at the Palm Springs Film Festival.
“I feel my momma right now. This is for you, momma,” Kidman said onstage in tears. The Australian actor and producer’s mother died last year shortly after Kidman arrived at the Venice Film Festival to promote “Babygirl."
“I didn’t get to do it at the Venice Film Festival," the actor said. "Thank you for giving me the chance to say this is for my mom. My whole career has been for my mom and dad.”
Kidman's “Scarpetta” co-star and friend Jamie Lee Curtis presented her with the International Star Award during the 36th annual International Film Awards at the festival in Palm Springs, California.
The intimate gala kicked off Hollywood’s whirlwind award season, honoring some of the film industry’s most anticipated award contenders.
Kidman was among notable A-listers including Adrien Brody, Zoe Saldaña, Isabella Rossellini and Angelina Jolie, who was presented with the Desert Palm Achievement Award-Actress by her godmother, acclaimed actor Jacqueline Bisset.
Jolie, who portrays opera singer Maria Callas in the Netflix biopic “Maria,” is nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture.
“I’m all right today because when I walk off of this stage, I am more myself because of you, Zahara, and your brothers and sisters,” the Academy Award-winning actor said to her daughter while reflecting on Callas’ difficult life. Jolie's speech came days after finalizing a divorce settlement with Brad Pitt that reached over eight years.
The night was full of onstage reflection as recipients and presenters gave long, heartfelt speeches at the non-televised event.
Colman Domingo, who was presented with the Spotlight Award by good friend Demi Moore, reflected on art’s impact on him as a child and its power to transform lives. The speech was a nod to his recent film, “Sing Sing,” which tells the story of incarcerated men who find purpose while acting in a theater group.
“I found art when I really needed it to be a parachute to save my life,” Domingo said. “Art saves lives. It saved mine. It will save yours.”
While receiving the Chairman Award, Timothée Chalamet said he feels “clear-sighted” about his career and credits music icon Bob Dylan for indirectly providing him with the perspective he has to work as an actor out of love for the art form.
Chalamet stars as Dylan in “A Complete Unknown” and spent more than five years preparing for his transformation into the folk musician.
“A wise man once said, ‘They can hurt your feelings if they boo you, they can also kill you with kindness.’ I took my anxiety about tonight as a good sign that I’m actually focused on what really matters. The work and the opportunity to do the work again," Chalamet said.
Intermixed with the sentiment, stars also took the time to poke fun at themselves and their peers.
Jennifer Coolidge presented Ariana Grande with the Rising Star award, noting the “Wicked” actor and pop star was already a household name.
“Hasn’t Ariana already risen?” Coolidge said.
Grande, who endearingly almost dropped the heavy award onstage, said she expected to receive “the withering star” award at age 31 and playfully gave thanks to her “good friends Botox and Juvederm.”
Chalamet, who presented director Denis Villeneuve with the Visionary award alongside Amy Adams, reminded the director that he had worked more production days with the director than actor Jake Gyllenhaal.
“Perhaps if I could paint a throughline for Denis' movies is that they just keep getting bigger and better. Apologies to Jake Gyllenhaal once more, who was in the earlier, smaller movies,” Chalamet said.
Kieran Culkin cheekily pointed out he was receiving a Breakthrough Award-Actor for his work in Jesse Eisenberg’s “A Real Pain” after working in the industry for over 30 years.
“It’s weird to be here, to have been doing this for over 36 years. Perfect time to get my breakthrough award,” Culkin said.
Mikey Madison received the Breakthrough Award-Actress for her work in Sean Baker’s “Anora,” while Adrien Brody received the Desert Palm Achievement Award-Actor.
The ensemble cast from “Conclave” took home the Ensemble Performance Award, with director Edward Berger praising unique performances by each of his actors in the religious drama.
“Emilia Pérez” earned the event's Vanguard Award. Actor Alan Cumming lauded the film and said his immediate reaction was, “What the actual (expletive) is going on here?’ I stayed utterly mesmerized until the credits.”
The stars won’t spend too much time in the California desert before traveling two hours north to Los Angeles in time for the 82nd Golden Globe Awards on Sunday.
Timothee Chalamet poses with the chairman's award for "A Complete Unknown" in the press room during the 36th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Gala on Friday, Jan. 3, 2025, in Palm Springs, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Jacqueline Bisset, left, and Angelina Jolie, winner of the desert palm achievement award, actress for "Maria", pose in the press room during the 36th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Gala on Friday, Jan. 3, 2025, in Palm Springs, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Nicole Kidman accepts the international star award for "Babygirl" during the 36th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Gala on Friday, Jan. 3, 2025, in Palm Springs, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Nicole Kidman accepts the international star award for "Babygirl" during the 36th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Gala on Friday, Jan. 3, 2025, in Palm Springs, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
