Fireworks found in Naxxar farmhouse

I totally agree with comments of Mr. J Mizzi that this tragedy will soon be forgotten. Just to make my point, just today there is an application on the Malta Independent MEPA 00923/08 for a new fireworks factory in Mosta, which location is very very close of residential area. Let's see if application is approved!!!!

This tragedy will be forgotten soon, just like all the others before it. Much talk, but nothing concrete will be done. A few months later, we'll be talking about yet another explosion somewhere else in Malta or Gozo -- wasted lives for the sake of the saints.

Malta's foot print is not large enough for any type of explosive material to be manufactured without being of any risk to its surroundings.
It is also a known fact that towns and villages have now crossed borders due to enlargement so the distance from the manufactur site and inhabited areas is reduced. To add insult to injury incidents like this one involving deaths, injuries, and private property damage are happening once too often...
It is high time authorities enforce very strict regular inspections, fix a limit up to what kind of explosive/ fireworks can be manufactured , perform regular risk assessments on all sites and close down sites which are not compliant to European EHS standards.
The noise level 'DB' must be limited in such a way as not to cause harm and inconvenience to the public.
In other words it all boils down to haveing a structured permit for such manufacture sites Controlled documentation similar to controlled drugs system.
Do we really have the space for so many factory's apart from illegal manufacture ? NO.
FACT :- Yet again this time a young mother's life has been lost because of one's negligence and irresponsibility
Her two children returned from school finding their mother dead and their house destroyed.
What about the others - Who knows what ordeal did they go through? - imagine someone who had her baby by the window when the blast occurred.
NO..NO...NO.. ACTION is needed and fast.

Why, o' why, must everything be political - must must you even tie this to an election.

A person storing illegal explosives including fireworks should be charged under the European law of Terrorism. Yes Terrorism. Ultimately these are highly explosive materials as we have witnessed yesterday. No do not ban fireworks but a severe deterent to people storing them illegally by applying the charge of terrorism would surely make a person steer well clear of the idea. Ok it may be an extreme, but extreme circumstances call for extreme measures.

" close to the former trade fair grounds in Naxxar " read "close to the counting hall" . What if there was an explosion near the counting Hall at the same time on Sunday ? Let's thank our lucky stars.

Pat on the back on those who provided the tip off ... but couldn't they give it a couple of days before the explosion occurred?

Shame on these irresponsible people. Don't they care about the fact that they are place innocent lives in danger. My daughter's play school is very close to the Naxxar trade school.
I think that this year's Naxxar feast should definitely be cancelled.

As always in Malta, when a disgrace happens and people dies, someone will do something. I ask is this necessary?

Please remember that every citizen is duty bound to report any irregularities regarding the manufacturing and storage of illegal fireworks, especially in residential areas. Not reporting these cases to the police when one knows about them, makes that person an accomplice and liable also to criminal proceedings. BEWARE.

It's about time that we are waking up, and noticing the goings on around us. Noone wants to be the tattletale, but if our nearest and dearet lives depends on it, then so be it!

Maybe yesterday's tragedy may serve as a lesson and anyone suspecting any similar illegal activity must be brought to the attention of the police and pursued accordingly

Why does anyone need a reward? Why are people always motivated by money? Isn’t the death of 2 people enough? Why do we have to wait till someone dies for people to report a crime? What has it got to do with tax evasion? Protecting the source of information by the police is more important! People do not come forward because they are scared not because they need the reward to do so! Witness Protection and Whistleblower come to mind!

Kenneth J Borg, hats off to the police only when I believe that they had no tip offs on the garages containing fire works, one of which exploded and killed innocent person!

I would presume one's life is more than a welcome reward.

This anonymous person who provided the tip off has done the right thing, no doubt about it, BUT...how long has he been aware of the fact that fireworks were being stored illegally ? Did he have to wait for such a tragedy to happen before having second thoughts about looking the other way?

I hope this time we learn the lesson...to report someone is a duty of every good citizen...so that no more tragedies like this happens.

Well done. This is what we all should do: report any suspects to the police. These are irresponsible people, if we don't report them to the police we are approving what they're doing.

I salute the person who gave the tip off!!!!!!

Well done!!!! And a heartfelt thank you!!!

I urge anyone who may have information on illegal fireworks to report immediately to the police before another tradegy occurs.

I hope this is not a case of too little, too late. Disturbing to note that this cache was close to the former Trade Fair Grounds, in other words near the place where electoral votes were counted. Imagine the national chaos this would have caused had there been an explosion there during the recent moments of tenseness. The nation is know anxious to know whether the cache that exploded had previously been reported to the authorities, and if no action had been taken, why not? It is high time in this country that persons in responsible positions be held fully accountable for their misdemeanours, whoever they are, whatever their position is, without fear and without political make-overs.

A reward is always welcome, and it will help. It will also help tackle tax evasion.

Hats off to the person providing the tip-off, and to the police for their immediate action.