# [#]Aloha,

At midnight on New Year’s Eve, we suffered a terrible accident involving an explosion of illegal fireworks in the Salt Lake area of Honolulu that claimed the lives of three women and injured two dozen other people.
Governor Josh Green at a podium with Police officers behind the Governor.

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George Lee / Honolulu Star-Advertiser

My wife Jaime and I have offered our condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims — our hearts are with them and they are in our prayers.

We are grateful to Honolulu Emergency Medical Services, Honolulu Police Department, and Honolulu Fire Department for acting swiftly to provide emergency assistance under extremely difficult circumstances.

Stopping these kinds of fireworks related accidents is a priority for my administration, and in 2023 we established the Illegal Fireworks Task Force to identify and disrupt supply chains.

The Task Force has seized 227,000 pounds of illegal fireworks to date, but incidents like this remind us of the ongoing challenges we face.

This year I will continue working with the state legislature to further curb illegal fireworks in Hawaii.

Penalties may have to become more severe to deter the use of illegal fireworks, and we will consider making possession of over 50-pounds of illegal fireworks a Class C felony with a 5-year prison term and a $10,000 fine.

If we are truly going to prevent future tragedies like the one we just experienced, we will have to make the decision to allow only safe and legal fireworks in our state.

My administration remains committed to protecting our communities, and I urge residents to report illegal activity and to prioritize safety.

Please have a safe and happy New Year.

Mahalo,

Josh



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