HONOLULU (KHNL/Gray News) – Six people with severe burn injuries from the massive Aliamanu fireworks explosion will be transported to the mainland for further treatment this weekend.
The victims will be flown to a specialized burn unit in Arizona aboard a C-17 plane.
First responders at Straub Benioff Medical Center are assisting with the medical transport. Crews are also heading to Queen’s Medical Center to assist more patients with the transport.
The burn victims’ transportation will start Saturday morning. They will be taken to Diane & Bruce Halle Arizona Burn Center which is considered one of the largest burn centers in the country.
Three people died in the New Year’s Eve explosion and more than 20 people were transported to area hospitals in critical to serious condition that evening.
Officials said the explosion was caused by what’s called a fireworks “cake” that had roughly 50 illegal aerial rockets in it. It tipped over and fired into a carport that then set off more fireworks inside.
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