More Details Released on Hawaii Fireworks Blast

The Honolulu, Hawaii, medical examiner’s office said that three of the victims in an underground fireworks blast last week suffered carbon monoxide inhalation before dying.

A spokeswoman for the medical examiner’s office identified the three men as Robert Freeman, 24, of Aiea; Neil Sprankle, 24, of Mililani; and Justin Kelii, 29, of Kaneohe. The names had previously been reported by local media.

Freeman was pronounced dead April 8 and an autopsy determined he died of thermal burns and carbon monoxide inhalation. Sprankle and Kelii were pronounced dead April 9 and died from asphyxiation due to carbon monoxide inhalation. The three deaths have been ruled accidental.

The medical examiner’s office has yet to release the names of two other men who died in the explosion in Waikele. Local media have reported that family and friends identified them as Robert Lahey, 50, the younger brother of a well-known sports broadcaster, and Bryan “Keola” Cabalce, 25, of Wahiawa.

Jim Lahey told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser positive identification of his brother “is going to take a while.” He said the medical examiner’s office has requested dental records.

The cause of the blast remains unknown and an investigation is hampered by the risk of large aerial fireworks still inside the underground bunker.

An explosives specialist and a bomb technician from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives entered the bunker this week and saw that explosives could ignite, ATF Honolulu field office agent Jordan Lowe said. No further attempts to enter would be made until authorities can find a way to mitigate the threat, he said.