A sixth person has died as a result of a massive explosion of illegal fireworks at an Āliamanu home over New Year's, police said Wednesday.
A 30-year-old woman died at a local hospital at about 5:59 a.m., the Honolulu Police Department said in a statement. The city identified her on Feb. 10 as Chastina Ramos.
Last week, a 29-year-old man died in Arizona where he had been flown for treatment of severe injuries suffered in the blast.
The explosion also killed a 3-year-old boy and three women, and injured more than 20 people.
Six people, including the man who died, were transported to the Arizona Burn Center in Phoenix in January because Hawaiʻi's only burn care facility reached capacity with the wounded from the incident.
The blast set off fresh calls for a crackdown on illegal fireworks that have become increasingly more common in Hawaiʻi. Contraband explosives rock neighborhoods year-round but grow in frequency around the year-end holidays.
Police have so far arrested 10 people in connection with the explosion. Authorities accused them of reckless endangering, endangering the welfare of a minor and multiple fireworks offenses.
Police said they are working with prosecutors to file charges but it is taking time due to the number of people arrested, large volume of evidence being examined and fireworks being tested.
Authorities seized 500 pounds of unused fireworks from the scene.
Police said they expect to make more arrests.
Gov. Josh Green has proposed new penalties allowing police to issue $300 tickets to those who shoot off fireworks and imposing potential Class A felony charges and decades in prison on those whose use of fireworks leads to serious injury or death.
The state Department of Law Enforcement has asked the Legislature for $5.2 million to hire eight people and expand a forensic lab to counter rampant fireworks smuggling.
Lawmakers were expected to consider these measures during the current legislative session ending in May.
This is a developing story.
