20-year-old from Big Island dies after fireworks explodes in his hands

A 20-year-old man from Kailua-Kona died following a fireworks incident on the Fourth of July on Hawaiʻi Island.

At 10:27 p.m., Kona patrol officers and Hawai‘i Fire Department personnel responded to a report of a public accident, possibly involving illegal fireworks, in a retail parking lot in the 74-5400 block of Kamakaeha Avenue in Kona.

The officers found 20-year-old Glen John Nakata lying on the ground with a substantial head injury.

Bystanders told police they saw Nakata holding a fireworks launcher above his head when the firework went off, sending the young man to the ground.

Nakata was transported by ambulance to the Kona Community Hospital. He was pronounced dead at 11:55 p.m.

Police have launched a coroner’s inquest investigation and have ordered an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death. Police ask that anyone who witnessed this incident to please contact Officer Melani Cline at 808-326-4646, ext. 253.