Two sisters who tragically died in the New Year’s Eve fireworks explosion in Hawaii have been identified by their heartbroken family.
Nelie Turalba Ibarra and Lita were killed during the New Year’s Eve celebration on Tuesday evening during the illegal fireworks, which also seriously injured several other family members.
Some injuries were so gruesome that ‘brain matter’ was left on the streets.
Nelie was described as having an ‘infectious laugh and boundless generosity’ that ‘touched everyone she met’, in a GoFundMe founded by her stepdaughter Ritchelyn Peterson.
In a separate one GoFundMe for Lita’s family, they revealed that her son Junior “also suffered extensive fire-related injuries,” and that her “three-year-old grandson suffered the most extensive injuries, with most of his body burned.”
In addition, Lita’s daughter Charmaine ‘Char’ Benigno, mother of two, suffered ‘burns beyond recognition’.
The blast, which detonated at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, killed three and seriously injured more than 20 at a house on Keaka Drive near Aliamanu.
Nelie and Lita’s niece Sheena Turalva wrote in one GoFundMe that the deaths of her two aunts are an “unimaginable tragedy and a “heartbreaking loss.”
Sisters Nelie and Lita were killed by illegal fireworks on Tuesday evening during the New Year’s Eve celebration
Nelie was described as having an ‘infectious laugh and boundless generosity’ that ‘touched everyone she met’
Authorities believe the deadly fireworks were set off by amateur pyrotechnics. The person has not yet been identified and a criminal investigation is ongoing.
“The emotional, physical and financial toll on our family is overwhelming as we navigate this difficult and painful time,” she wrote.
Among those still “fighting for their lives” are new parents Melissa and Kevin from the Salt Lake area.
Hawaii Governor Josh Green described the mass casualty incident as an “extremely grotesque” scene that left in its wake looking like a “war zone.”
Authorities believe the deadly fireworks were set off by amateur pyrotechnics. The person has not yet been identified and a criminal investigation is ongoing.
Benigno suffered serious injuries requiring extensive medical attention. She has a long recovery ahead of her,” she said GoFundMe.
The young mother, who has two sons aged two and four, is still in intensive care. Her old friend survived the night unharmed.
Benigno’s family wrote that her boys and Jacob “really need her house!”
Two other victims seriously injured in the horrific New Year’s Eve explosion are new parents, identified only by their first names Melissa and Kevin.
In the photo: Charmaine Benigno with her long-time partner Jacob. Although Jacob was not injured, Benigno is fighting for her life in intensive care
Hawaii Governor Josh Green described the ‘extremely grotesque’ scene and said ‘brain matter’ was found on the sidewalk
Some injuries were so gruesome that ‘brain matter’ was left on the streets
“Kevin is currently in the hospital fighting for his life,” the description reads GoFundMe organized to help the family.
“He has suffered serious injuries, will require extensive medical care and has a very long road to recovery,” their family added.
Melissa was flown to another hospital to be placed in their burn unit as there were no beds available at the hospital she was originally sent to.
While the couple recovers, their three-month-old Kaesyn is currently in the care of both Melissa and Kevin’s families.
Minutes after midnight, emergency services rushed to the eerie and chaotic scene.
While it is still not clear the extent of the remaining injuries to those injured, the youngest is a three-year-old child.
Authorities described the illegal fireworks that exploded as a “cake”: a cluster of tubes containing as many as 50 illegal sky-rockets.
The explosion was the deadliest fireworks incident in Hawaii in fourteen years.
New parents Melissa and Kevin suffered catastrophic injuries with their three-month-old son
Charmaine ‘Char’ Benigno, a mother of two, was seriously injured in the blast
Aerial view of the New Year’s Eve explosion, with emergency services setting up a triage
Two people were pronounced dead at the scene and a 23-year-old woman also later succumbed to her injuries
Many in the Aliamanu community are heartbroken and grieving.
On Thursday, friends gathered to place flowers at a makeshift memorial near where their bodies were found.
Before the tragedy, dozens of partygoers were seen at the home’s carport and upstairs, but after the fireworks explosion, a haunting video shows only one or two people leaving the house. KHON 2News.
Neighbor Angelina Bagaforo, who lives across the street, said she was inside when the fireworks went off and that a friend who was outside was treating some of the injured.
“My friend carried our friend into the house, she had cuts on her fingers, she was bleeding, we couldn’t tell where it was coming from, but then we realized it wasn’t a major artery or vein and we kept her stabilized,” Bagaforo said .
She said her friend saw helpless people who she described were “dazed, just trying to figure out where the triage center is, asking for help, lying in the street.”
“It was a lot,” she added.
Aleighya Corpuz told the press about her 12-year-old friend who worries her.
“She kept saying, Aleighya, I can’t feel my legs, like it hurt but was numb, and I looked at her leg when she left and it was bleeding,” she said.
Another woman who lives across the street from where the tragedy occurred was shocked by the incident.
She told the news station: “They just wanted to have a good time and ring in the new year with people they loved and cared about.”