The man who died two days ago after a fireworks factory accident in Lija kept telling colleagues on the way to hospital that he had not done anything incorrectly as he assembled the petards that ultimately killed him. Twanny Farrugia, an expert in fireworks manufacture with a reputation as a stickler for safety, was severely burnt in a flash that occurred at the St Michael's Fireworks Factory in Lija on Monday while he was in the process of making petards. Despite his horrible injuries he ran down to seek help from two colleagues who were in another part of the complex. He died in hospital on Tuesday.
Sources close to the factory said that throughout the short trip from Lija to Mater Dei Hospital, Mr Farrugia kept looking at his hands, as if to make sure his fingers were still intact, and kept repeating "M'ghamilt xejn hazin, m'ghamilt xejn hazin". (I did not do anything wrong).
Before getting into the car, his concern was that he was going to soil the seat because of the injuries he had sustained.
He only stepped into the car when he was assured it was not a problem.
On arrival at the hospital, he got out of the car on his own and was rushed to the resuscitation room. Apart from his burns, medical staff were mostly concerned about the toxic fumes he had inhaled.
Fireworks have claimed eight lives so far this year. Mr Farrugia was the latest victim.
Two men died in an explosion at St Catherine's Fireworks factory in Zurrieq last week while last June five men died and another suffered burns in a series of explosions at the St Helen's Fireworks Factory in Gharghur.
Sources in fireworks circles said there was now "grave concern" over whether the accidents were the result of defective chemicals.
But chemicals experts said that although nothing could be ruled out at this stage, one had to bear in mind that there were always serious hazards in fireworks manufacture; although the risks could be minimised, they could not be eliminated.
"Humidity is one of the worst enemies for pyrotechnics manufacturers, as it makes the chemicals unstable," one expert said.
The type of chemical Mr Farrugia was using is unknown because whatever he was using was burnt up in the flash.
But his insistence that he had done nothing wrong and his reputation for never taking risks is worrying fireworks enthusiasts, who are mystified about what could have sparked the incident.
"If there was someone about whom one could say that he would never have an accident, it was Twanny. But his death has changed that," one of his close friends said.
A number of organisations have cancelled their Christmas activities as a mark of respect.
His funeral will be held tomorrow. The cortege will leave Mater Dei Hospital at 1.45 p.m. for the Lija parish church where Mass praesente cadavere will be said at 2.30 p.m.
The coffin will then be carried by his colleagues to the Lija cemetery, accompanied by the St Pius X band club.