The Latest: Hawaii lava causes fireworks-like explosions

PAHOA, Hawaii (AP) - The Latest on the eruption of Kilauea volcano on Hawaii's Big Island (all times local):

1:15 p.m.

Scientists say lava from Kilauea volcano in Hawaii is causing fireworks-like explosions as it enters the ocean.

U.S. Geological Survey scientist Wendy Stovall told reporters Tuesday that lava breaks apart and sends fragments flying into the air when it hits the sea and cools.

She says the explosion can look like fireworks. The explosions can also build a small cone, similar to regular volcanic cinder cones.

Stovall says the flying fragments could land on boats on the water.

The lava has also been creating large steam plumes laced with hydrochloric acid and fine glass shards when it flows into the sea.

Kilauea volcano has been erupting in a rural part of the Big Island since May 3. Lava began pouring into the ocean over the weekend.

___

12:55 p.m.

Lava flowing from Kilauea volcano on Hawaii's Big Island has claimed another structure, this one close to a geothermal plant.

Hawaii County civil defense officials say lava from an active fissure has destroyed an old warehouse that was used in early research and development at the Puna Geothermal plant.

Hawaii County spokeswoman Janet Snyder tells the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that the warehouse adjacent to the plant was destroyed late Monday night.

The building was owned by the state of Hawaii.

Nearly 50 structures have been destroyed by lava, including dozens of homes.

___

12: 27 p.m.

Authorities in Hawaii are racing to close off production wells at a geothermal plant threatened by a lava flow from Kilauea volcano on Hawaii's Big Island.

Workers are capping the 11th and last well at the plant to prevent toxic gases from wafting out after lava entered, then stalled, on the property near one of the new volcanic vents.

Hawaii County officials say lava from active fissures near the Puna plant has destroyed an old warehouse site that was used in early research and development.

Puna Geothermal, owned by Nevada's Ormat Technologies, was shut down earlier this month shortly after Kilauea began spewing lava on May 3.

The plant harnesses heat and steam from the earth's core to spin turbines to generate power, providing for about 25 percent of the island's daily energy demand. Earlier this month, officials removed 50,000 gallons (190,000 liters) of the gas from the plant to reduce the chance of explosions.

___

6:15 a.m.

There have been two new small explosive eruptions at the summit of Kilauea volcano on Hawaii's Big Island.

Ash plumes late Monday afternoon and early Tuesday morning didn't exceed 10,000 feet (3,048 meters), officials say any danger from ash fallout would be near the summit or to the communities to the southwest of wind carries the plume that way.

U.S. Geological Survey geophysicist Mike Poland says there are near continuous low-level ash emissions from the summit.

He says that pattern "is about par for the course" right now.

Besides explosive eruptions from the summit, Kilauea is oozing lava into neighborhoods about 25 miles (40 kilometers) away.

Some lava over the weekend began flowing into the ocean and generated plumes of lava haze.

That prompted safety warnings about toxic gas on the Big Island's southern coastline.

___

12 a.m.

The eruption of Kilauea volcano in Hawaii sparked new safety warnings about toxic gas on the Big Island's southern coastline after lava began flowing into the ocean and setting off a chemical reaction.

The molten rock started pouring into the sea over the weekend. It's been generating plumes of lava haze or "laze" as it interacts with seawater.

It's just the latest hazard from a weeks-old eruption that has so far generated earthquakes and featured gushing molten rock, giant ash plumes and sulfur dioxide. The eruption has destroyed more than 40 buildings forced more than 2,000 people to evacuate.

On Monday, lava entered and then stalled on the property of a geothermal plant near one of Kilauea's new volcanic vents.