DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM
Despite last night's Kailua fireworks snafu, there was a lot of July Fourth revelry around town. That included the pyrotechnics off Ala Moana Beach Park.
No major fireworks For the first time since 1948, there was no Fourth of July fireworks show over Kailua.
injuries, police say
But disappointment was felt in
Kailua as show was canceledBy Craig Gima
cgima@starbulletin.comOverall, police and fire officials said it was a safe holiday with no reports of serious injuries resulting from fireworks.
The number of fireworks-related brush fires increased to 29 this holiday from 21 last year, and fire officials attributed the increase to an increase of fireworks permits, fire Capt. Richard Soo said today. The city issued 116 fireworks permits this year compared to 89 last year.
Strong winds and high waves prevented a 15-ton barge carrying the fireworks from entering Kailua Bay yesterday, said Larry Lanning, the parade and fireworks chairman for the Kailua Chamber of Commerce, which sponsors the annual event.
"As long as I've been alive, this has never happened," said Tehani Ebalei, who was dressed for the occasion with white hair, a blue head band, blue eyelashes and a red dress.
"Now we'll have to explode our own fireworks," she said as she returned to a party across from Kailua Beach Park.
"This is my first Fourth of July without fireworks," said Brooke Donnelly, who was visiting from New York.
DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM
Kailua's annual parade in which Judy Parrott proudly participated.
Lanning said he "got a phone call after the parade saying, 'We got problems, we got problems,' and I said, 'Solve them, solve them.'"
When the barge could not get in, he called the mayor, the state Department of Land & Natural Resources and the Honolulu Fire Department to get permission to launch a smaller fireworks show from the beach near the Lanikai boat ramp.
The fireworks contractor jury-rigged a smaller show, and at about 6:45 p.m. workers test-fired a rocket, but the wind blew some of the debris into the crowd, and one person suffered a minor burn.
It was decided then to cancel the show. A boo went up from the crowd on the beach as police officers drove by and announced the decision.
"Safety first," said Lanning. "We tried, I've got to say that. You can't hurt people. It's for fun."
Lanning said the chamber would sit down and try to figure a way to put the show on next year. He said it cost the chamber about $20,000 for its failed effort this year. The Kailua fireworks show has had problems the past couple of years. The fireworks were originally launched from Flat Island in Kailua Bay, but that was stopped by the state because the fireworks were affecting the birds that nest on the island.
Last year, a smaller barge broke up and created problems with litter along the shoreline the day after the show.
"I know a lot of people are not happy," said Bryan Amona. "In Kailua there is the parade and fireworks."
Jamie Dilliner was with her grandchildren. They stopped to watch some other kids set off fireworks that they had brought with them to the beach.
Five-year-old Dominique Sanchez said she did not mind that there was not a fireworks show.
"I've been here for hours so we can go swimming," she said.
Dilliner said, "It doesn't matter to me as long as the kids are having fun."
Honolulu firefighters responded to 17 rubbish or dumpster fires yesterday in addition to the 29 fireworks-related brush fires. Last year there were the same number of rubbish or dumpster fires on the holiday.
The majority of the cases yesterday were on the Waianae/Leeward Coast, Soo said.
Star-Bulletin reporter Nelson Daranciang contributed to this report.
