Fireworks victim found
The cloud following yesterday's blast as seen by an airline passenger. mynews@timesofmalta.com
The dead body of Mario Dimech was found in the debris of the 15th August fireworks factory today, soon after a search resumed this morning.
The factory blew up at 3 p.m. yesterday.
Mr Dimech, 41, was a long serving member of the Nicolo Isourd society.
The blast yesterday was heard over a wide area, but despite initial fears, Mr Dimech was the only casualty. The external festivities of Sta Marija in Mosta have been cancelled.
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Maryann L. Wansitler
Aug 16th 2010, 14:42
It is good to learn about another cousin I assume. Alan Dimech do you live in Malta? I would be interested in emailing with you. My prayers are with you and I loved hearing about Mario and his football playing.
Nicholas Galea
Aug 16th 2010, 14:18
Malta isn't the only country that celebrates with fireworks at feasts. As far as I know other countries aren't as accident prone as Malta. This has happened 4 times already.. and I am absolutely sure that Malta does not take all the necessary precautions to avoid incidents like these. For crying out loud a man was even handling explosives in his garage in the middle of a residential area in one of the incidents that have happened.
I give my respect to all the families of those who died in tragedies like this, but I'm sorry to say that it is not misfortune that is responsible for most of these incidents but utter stupidity.
Dealing with explosives isn't and can never be a hobby, and anyone who will try to believe so is, in my opinion, a reckless person with complete disregard to himself, and others.
Let the qualified deal with fireworks for Christ's sake.
James Piscopo
Aug 17th 2010, 00:56
Get your facts right
The day after the Mosta explosion, two firework workers died in China, a place considered as the most safe in which to manifacture these fireworks. In February, on the same date of the Qormi incident, the Times reported that 30 people died in one single explosion also in China.
and you are accusing the Maltese as 'amateur.'
Christian Sciberras
Aug 22nd 2010, 22:18
James Piscopo - How many times have you been to feasts and asked toy sellers for the stuff hidden under their tables - pocket *illegal* pyrotechnics.
I'm sure that those working at the factory did their best.
But that doesn't mean they were anywhere near to regulated.
Speaking of experience, this happens everywhere; the only thing a waitress needs to know is serving food, never mind being courteous (who would want to be served with someone who's frowning??).
I don't have to go far, just look at a typical restaurant in Xlendi, tourists are treated like crap just because they a long clientele.
A Bonett
Aug 16th 2010, 11:53
May the Lord grant eternal peace to the victim and support to his family.
Just for my knowledge, I have recently encountered the following safety regulations: http://www.pgi.org/safety.aspx
I assume that the government or some other local instituition already have a similar copy.
S. Attard
Aug 16th 2010, 10:19
I heard the blast from Zejtun and I didn't realise what it was at the moment. It must have been a very big one since Mosta is not very near. Once again we have a tragedy and people have been left mourning. I give all my sympathy to the family but someone has to do something on it. I can still feel the mourning of Ganni is-Sagristan in our factory explosion last May. How many lives have to be lost to understand that fireworks factories are just a harm. For one minute of glory they have destroyed entire families. Going to a firework factory is like going to war in Afghanistan.
P. Borg
Aug 16th 2010, 10:14
All the respect and support to the family in this hard moment.
I can't imagine how many lives would have been spared if this thing was stopped once and for all. We are not talking about one or two persons but many. How many have to die before someone does something? Is it so indispensable to do fireworks, and if yes, does it have to be so much in quantity? Maybe at least reducing the quantity, one reduces the risks.
I am 28 and I have heard so much about this type of accidents. Whoever works fireworks, looks everyday for a chance to die. Don't you realise it? We have one life, why risk it for few minutes of glory during the feast? Even if it's beautiful, it doesn't justify the risk you take every second in there. Sorry but in the light of what is happening, I think they should be banned.
M Muscat
Aug 16th 2010, 23:30
If its not your hobby, you can stay out of it and you can safe a life!
I'm not a fan at all of the fireworks, and sometimes the sounds are annoying, but hey I do respect their great job that they do without any payment and for their free will! Its not my hobby and I dont go and practice it. So thats add up to 2 lifes saved already!
Is that hard? Come on! If you don't like the object, just leave the person who likes to do, enjoying it. Tell me, whats your hobby? Football? If yes, we must ban it because we heard of players lost their lifes while playing!
Usual stuff from the Maltese. Ban that ban that increase that!
ERFAW SALIBKOM!
Maryann L. Wansitler
Aug 16th 2010, 02:34
Mario was my cousin. When I first met him he was just 3 years old. Nanna I am so sorry for your loss. You are in my prayers. Love to you, Maryann
Alan Dimech
Aug 16th 2010, 13:05
Mario was my cousin too. He was a perfectionist in everything he did in his life. He was a very nice person, always smiling and giving his 100% in everything. He was quite a good football player too, we used to kick a ball on a 5-a-side pitch every now and then. Apart from the holy mary he was also very dedicated to Good Friday. Sadly missed by all my family members but mostly by his mother and two brothers and their families. May you rest in peace KUGIN.
James Piscopo
Aug 16th 2010, 00:42
Now we can say there is a particular trend going on here:
The first type of people who fire their criticism right after a tragedy, and the others who silently admire the VOLUNTARY work done after each week. Where is the appreciation of the work?
Should we ban people from swimming? After all the number of people who drown or die from accidents in sea are greater than those who sacrifice themselves, their time, to illuminate the sky, give life to the maltese culture and lighten a tourist stay.
Christian Sciberras
Aug 22nd 2010, 22:13
Give life to WHAT?
"Maltese culture" is an abstract -- dead -- term.
I'd rather people died from diving then others of blowing themselves up.
Oh, and for your information, there are regulations about swimming well laid out everywhere, you only have to bother to look at the notices!!
Christian Sciberras
Aug 15th 2010, 21:11
The irony of it all is that most people can't think better than praying for the poor soul and giving condolences. Can't you think of anything better? How about learning from mistakes?
Next time you're seeing pretty fire in the sky, think how much it *cost* to do them (and for the nitpickers, I wasn't literal).
There ends my rant. No go on jump around in your happy little feasts.
S.Camilleri
Aug 15th 2010, 17:55
Mario was a great person, always smiling and helping out. We used to bump into each other very often, as he worked in sales just like me...a real gentleman. God give him eternal peace.
Sylvana Camilleri
GDL
R.Borg
Aug 15th 2010, 07:11
Il pericolo e' il loro mestiere.
Danger is their profession.
From contemporary history nothing can be done.
This year we had three fatal accidents.
We will just wait and see.
In the meantime we pray for the victims and the families they left behind.
Yesterdaty evening and night we 'enjoyed' a bombardment of fireworks in honour of Our Lady Assumed to Heaven, body and soul.
Mary, Assumed to Heaven and Comforter of the Afflicted, pray for us.
Frances Azzopardi
Aug 14th 2010, 17:50
Dejjem ghandna nkunu lesti ghall-Mulej ghax ma nafux meta ser jajtilna. Hekk gralu Mario, kien sejjer jistrieh imma minflok mar il fabrka ta nhar fejn hajtu spiccat hemm. Mulej ghatih il mistrieh ta dejjem. Ma kellux igawdi il festa ta Santa Maria li tant kien ilu jahdem ghaliha. Mar il genna halli il Madonna ma jariex statwa hierga im jilttaqa mahha wicc m b'wicc. Kuragg lil familja.
Denise Felici
Aug 14th 2010, 15:30
Wahda mil-esperenzi koroh li ghaddejt. Min fejn noqod jien smajta sewwa, twerwit. Kondaljanzi lil-familjari u hbieb ta' Mario. RIP
GAUBERT ZAMMIT
Aug 14th 2010, 14:07
Condolences to the family. Safety measures have had to take to avoid this.
A Zahra.
Aug 14th 2010, 13:34
first of all my sincere condolensec to the family of this pyrotechnician whose work
has brgtened up innumerable summer nights.
For those asking for furher safety there is only one way to go
abolish the use of chlorates from the manufacture of firework and this malad
will stop. Accidents may still happen but definitely not at the rate that we are
unfotunately witnessing
Goverment should assist as the alternatives are a bit costlier.
Stefan Vella
Aug 15th 2010, 04:54
I don't agree when you declare that the Government should assist with safer alternatives. I prefer that part of my taxes are donated to charities like Dar tal-Providenza than to be literally burned at some festa.
Let us get our priorities right.
adrian sammut
Aug 14th 2010, 13:23
Kondaljanzi lil-familjari u hbieb ta sehibna Mario, li bhal hafna Mostin ohra kien ukoll dilettant kbir tal-Gimgha L-Kbira. Ghatih O Mulej il-Mistrieh ta' Dejjem.
Adrian Sammut
Webmaster
www.goodfridaymalta.com
Raymond Farrugia
Aug 14th 2010, 13:11
Condolences to the family but these accidents are happening too often to be incidental. The problem in this sector is that all localities try to outdo each other and probably take greater and greater risks. Producing "more" or "better" than the next village will contribute towards oversights or slips which then prove fatal.
Eric Psaila
Aug 14th 2010, 12:54
What a sad day for family Dimech. My sincere condolances
Karl Consiglio
Aug 14th 2010, 12:37
And moral of the story is ban fireworks.
M.Bartolo
Aug 14th 2010, 16:02
The moral of the story is not banning the fireworks...the morals of the story is that first of all respect the family of the deceased, secondly we need proper regulations and fast. Knives kill, pointed objects kill, cars kill etc... and we don't ban them! and BTW I am not a great fan of fireworks
A Sammut
Aug 14th 2010, 22:31
M Bartolo knives kill - but they are useful objects. Pointed objects kill, but they are useful objects. Cars kill but they are indispensable objects. On the other hand, fireworks kill but THEY ARE NOT useful or more than that, necessary. We can very well do without them, just think about all the victims that they left behind.
You just cannot compare the dangers involved in fireworks preparation, a hobby, with the dangers involved when using essential things.
Your argument is infantile at best.
Johnny Xerri
Aug 15th 2010, 07:36
Will you cry for a ban the next traffic accident happens?
Will you cry for a ban the next eletricial accident happens?
For crying out loud, fireworks factories are a safe distance away from habited areas so any fatality is likely to effect the entusiasts only. It is theie choice if they want to be exposed to the risk. They work out of their own free will, and they are not obliged.
By all means provide safer environments, and legal limitations, but a ban would be an insult to Maltese culture and the victims. Judging by the visits that tourists make to see the 'festa' and by some foolish comments, our culture is more appriceated by the foriegners than the locals.
When will the Maltese realise that its not just me me me, and that everybody has to have his hobby (obviosly within legal frameworks)
May Mario rest in peace, he will be missed, for his talented work & dedication, but may he be remembered in years to come at each feast that he adored.
M.Bartolo
Aug 15th 2010, 09:00
@A.Sammut
A lot of hobbies are dangerous. Should we ban them as well? All we need is strict laws that are enforced and adhered to at all times. Anyone caught breaking them will have his license suspended permanently and the factory closed - and licenses should not be a tax collection purpose
Christian Sciberras
Aug 15th 2010, 21:08
U ejja.
If you can't stick to proper rules and regulations, BAN THEM.
Why do we need any more fatalities for a real ban to occur?
Other than petards, I don't mind fireworks at all. But again, what are we loosing from banning them until proper regulations come through?
I've just seen what the "barrier" was all about. I'm no physicist but that ain't a barrier. It's hardly a fortified wall.
These are deadly explosives we're dealing with. We need military-grade security and regulations around these areas.
Sometimes I damn wonder where many Maltese are keeping their brains.
Sure the guy has been doing this stuff for years and might not have realized about their full danger (such as being stolen), but then, what the heck are our politicians doing?
When was the last time we (re)wrote a really useful policy? 30 years ago? Hello???
Nathalie Vella
Aug 16th 2010, 09:31
@A Sammut
Cars are a commodity and not a necessity. Hence, they are not indispensable.
Joseph Galea
Aug 14th 2010, 12:35
Very well captured.Good job to the photographer.
E. Abela
Aug 14th 2010, 12:34
Accidents will happen however when the same accident happens more than three or four times then there is something very wrong somewhere.
Dani.Mangion
Aug 14th 2010, 18:37
Mr Abela
It is true that alot of these accidents are happening often, infact 4 persons have already died due to fireworks this year. On the other hand should we ban also driving, because a lot more people died in car accidents than in fireworks accidents.
I am not in favour of banning fireworks factories. Still I am in favour of strict rules to protect the lives of the people making fireworks.
Mario rest in peace in the arms of Our Mother Mary where you belong, and keep your loving hand on your family.
Pawlu Agius
Aug 14th 2010, 12:02
Incidentally, the father of Mario also died in an incident after suffering from burns while working in his garage. I begin to believe that someone up there writes our destiny beforehand.
Mosta has lost a talented person. Wish all those who are against fireworks, to at least appreciate the great talent and craftmanship needed to work fireworks. Maltese culture has already lost enough when the "suffarelli" have been stopped. And the same applies regarding "l-irdieden" which used to be lighted from a person while holding it by a mast in his hand. We have lost something which made our Maltese festas unique in the world. We have lost part of our culture and traditions.
Anyway, rest in piece to our beloved Mario and my condoloscenses to his mother and family.
judith dingli
Aug 14th 2010, 11:50
We are very sorry for what happened. Thanks for your service. Mario. Rest in peace. Condoljence to all the family.
Peter Murray
Aug 14th 2010, 11:45
Friday the 13th certainly lived up to its unlucky status and was a very black day for the Dimech family.May he rest in peace and may we have more stringent safety measures in place to avoid this continuous repetition and loss of life.
Chris Micallef
Aug 14th 2010, 10:57
Condolences to the family of the victim, When are we going to implement drastic measures to safeguard the lives of the people working and those around them. I lost count how many explosions have happened due to these fire works. Please people lets wake up. I hope that we are not seeing these as a one off death and so we do not need to spend money on safety measures.