Naxxar blast victims get aid to rebuild homes and lives

Four families who lost their homes during the fireworks' explosion that rocked Naxxar last March can finally start rebuilding their lives after the Housing Authority agreed to cover re-construction costs.

"Apart from losing our house we lost everything... furniture, clothes and all our belongings. At least now help has arrived so that we can rebuild our home and move back in," said Vicky Bugeja, one of the victims who lost her home to the explosion.

Her neighbour, Isabel Sultana, agreed: "Any type of help is positive... After all we're starting from scratch."

Nine months after the devastating blast that killed two people, the four families gathered round a table to sign contracts with the authority that allocated €284,700 to the construction and finishing of their new homes.

The authority will be paying the costs that are not covered by the insurance of the four families that were the worst affected by the March 12 explosion in Triq Ħal Dgħejf.

One of the victims was Paul Camilleri, 47, who is suspected to have caused the explosion when he was illegally manufacturing fireworks inside his garage. A magisterial inquiry is still ongoing.

His residence neighboured the house of the other fatality - the 35-year-old mother of two, Sina Sammut, who had taken her son and daughter to school before going shopping and had just entered her house when the blast occurred.

As a result of the explosion the Camilleris' house collapsed bringing down the homes of the Sammuts and the Bugejas, located on either side. The houses of the Sultana and Bellia families suffered severe structural damage.

Yesterday the authority signed construction contracts with four families: Vicky and Edward Bugeja, Isabel and Mario Sultana, Charles and Bernardette Bellia and the late Sina Sammut's husband Peter who was accompanied by his sister Rita and his children Garreth and Kirsty.

This is the first time Mr Sammut has appeared in public. He is still visibly distraught and the media was advised not to approach him.

"We all remember with sorrow the Naxxar tragedy that was a double blow since it was not the result of an act of God, but the result of the irresponsibility, abuse and egoism of certain people," Social Policy Minister John Dalli said before the contracts were signed.

"The population immediately reached out to help the victims of the blast and it is the role of the government, as a representative of the community, to try to help to alleviate their trauma," he added.

Mr Dalli pointed out that the government had already helped by subsidising €338 of the monthly rent of those families who were forced to find an alternative, temporary home.

The government, he said, had also offered other forms of support through Appoġġ agency.

Mr Dalli said 74 Naxxar families had suffered some form of damage because of the explosion and the authority would be reimbursing them, following inspections.

Anyone who wishes to help the families can deposit money in the Sammut family BOV account 4001 7055 396 or HSBC account 0061 0918 5050; the Bugeja family BOV account 4001 7049 454; the Bellia family BOV account 4001 7059 033.