Jan. 31 (UPI) -- Authorities in Honolulu said they have arrested an additional four people in connection with a deadly New Year's Eve fireworks explosion that killed five people and injured about 20 others.
The explosion was set off by fireworks shortly after midnight at a New Year's Eve party held at a residence in the Salt Lake neighborhood, initially killing three people and injuring 26 others, including three juveniles.
The death toll climbed to four days later after a 3-year-old injured in the blast died and to five on Tuesday when police said a 29-year-old man who had been flown to an Arizona hospital following the blast, succumbed to his injuries.
Lt. Deena Thoemmes of the Honolulu Police Department told reporters during a Thursday press conference that two couples who lived at the home where the explosion occurred were arrested Wednesday afternoon.
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The suspects were identified only as two men, ages 35 and 32, and two women, ages 38 and 29.
They are being held on charges of first-degree reckless endangerment, first-degree endangerment of the welfare of a minor and multiple firework offenses, she said.
Thoemmes said the four children of the 35-year-old man and the 38-year-old woman arrested Wednesday were injured in the blast, treated at a local hospital and then released.
The other couple, the 32-year-old man and 29-year-old woman, had two children at the party, none of whom were injured, she said.
With the arrests, a total of six people have been detained in connection to the crime. The first two suspects, also a couple but who did not live at the residence, were released pending investigation, she said, adding that she expects them and others to be charged.
Manslaughter, she said, is the most serious charge that may be brought against suspects in the case.
She said many people have been interviewed -- some have refused to provide detectives with statements about what happened that night, while others have provided false statements.
"They have chosen to protect themselves, instead of being the voice for their loved ones who have died or are currently in critical condition at hospitals," she said.
During the investigation, approximately 500 pounds of unused illegal fireworks were recovered from the residence's carport and vehicles of people attending the party.
