Sara Schilling – The Charlotte Observer
A grill may have malfunctioned before an explosion at a Hawaii beach resort that injured seven people, police said.
The blast happened at about 6:15 p.m. Feb. 20 at a condo-style resort on Kāʻanapali Beach, the Maui Police Department said in a Feb. 20 news release.
The popular beach on the western shore of the island is known for its white sand and clear water.
Three of the injured were hurt critically, and one person was flown to an area hospital for treatment, police said.
Officials are still investigating, but the explosion “may have involved liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), which supplies common area BBQs. Witness statements indicate a possible grill malfunction before the incident,” according to police.
After the explosion, bystanders rushed to help, police said.
“Police personnel arrived at approximately 6:21 p.m., and with assistance from bystanders with medical and first responder backgrounds, provided life-saving measures and first aid until medics and firefighters arrived,” police said.
David Flint told Hawaii News Now that he was swimming nearby when “suddenly there was this huge, earth-shaking boom. You can tell it wasn’t like a firework or something somebody planned.”
The injured range from 18 to 74 years old, police said.
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