Two more people were arrested Sunday in connection with the deadly New Year’s fireworks explosion in Aliamanu, bringing the total number of people arrested to a dozen. 

Honolulu police said The Dao, a 59-year-old man, and Biet Thi Ho, a 60-year-old woman, were arrested for fireworks offenses. They are the homeowners of 4144 Keaka Drive, where the fireworks explosion took place.

This was the fourth round of arrests made in relation to the explosion that killed six people, including a 3-year-old boy, and injured about 20 others. The tragedy occurred when a lit bundle of about 50 aerial fireworks fell over, blasting into crates that contained unlit fireworks and causing them to go off too. 

The other ten people who were previously arrested were all released pending investigation. 

Police said at a news conference at the end of January that they are working with prosecutors to bring charges, but it is taking time because some witnesses have been uncooperative and there is a large amount of evidence being examined. Investigators confiscated 500 pounds of unused illegal fireworks from the scene of the blast, which does not include the fireworks that went off on the night of the explosion.   

Michelle Broder Van Dyke covers the Hawaiian Islands for Spectrum News Hawaii. Email her at michelle.brodervandyke@charter.com.