Malta
Two die in fireworks blasts
Two critically injured

2005 -- The fireworks magazine remained intact as two rooms at the factory close by were completely wiped out.

Two men died yesterday and five others were injured - two critically - in one of the worst fireworks factory explosions in recent history.

Two blasts ripped through the factory of St Joseph's De Rohan Band Club in Wied Qirda, Siggiewi, at around 3.40 p.m. The explosions could be heard from miles away and shook the foundations of buildings in the area.

In a cruel twist of the fate the incident happened exactly seven years to the day of an explosion that had devastated the same factory, thankfully without fatalities. In another explosion in 1991, a man had lost his life.

Antoine Cilia (il-Pexx), 36, of Dingli, the father of two young children and a newborn, and Charles Farrugia (il-Bagalji), 59, of Zebbug died on the spot very close to where they had been working in preparation for the feast of St Joseph to be celebrated on July 31.

Their bodies were taken away in a hearse three hours later and as it was driving off Archbishop Joseph Mercieca arrived and stopped it in its tracks to administer the last rites.

As commotion reigned around the factory, two other men - Anthony Agius (il-Haruf), 42, and Joe Zammit (iz-Zelli), 38 - were in hospital fighting for their lives. Mr Agius suffered over 90 per cent burns while Mr Zammit suffered burns and broken bones, hospital sources said.

Friends said the two were driven to hospital, together with another two injured men, by a fifth man who was also at the factory but was only slightly hurt. Realising that every second counted if his friends were to survive, the quick-thinking man packed everyone into his Landrover and raced to hospital.

The three men who got away with minor burns are Saviour Cuschieri, who is in his 60s, Alex Attard, in his 30s, who was married just eight days ago, and another man known as iz-Zajbar.

People involved in festa preparations said the men had been working in two small rooms preparing the petards with a gun powder propellant that shoots the firework out of the barrel. These rooms were completely flattened by the blast.

With just over three weeks to go before the feast, the men usually work round the clock on this process to ensure that all the fireworks - hundreds of them - would be ready in time for the big celebration.

But what should have been a joyous event has been soured by this terrible tragedy. Many of the men's friends said the feast will now be a muted event or even cancelled as a sign of solidarity with the families of the deceased.

Soon after the two powerful explosions, two smaller blasts were heard, stirring anxiety among the crowd of relatives and friends who gathered nearby.

The Civil Protection Department, the Armed Forces of Malta, the police and two ambulances were immediately on site.

The police were quick to cordon off the area for fear that the flames would engulf the main magazine that held all the finished fireworks, situated only a couple of hundred metres away. The team had to wait until the fire was extinguished before they ventured close to the debris to search for the bodies of the two dead men.

When it was finally established that they had died, Zebbug parish priest Fr Daniel Cardona gathered their friends in a circle to say a prayer for the repose of their souls.

The police are still warning the public not to venture into the area because of possible danger. Duty magistrate Antonio Mizzi was informed and ordered an on-site inquiry. Investigations are being led by the Qormi police.