The feast of Our Lady of Victories in Xaghra will be celebrated as planned on Wednesday, the parish priest of the locality said today.

Mgr Carm Refalo expressed condolences over the deaths caused by yesterday's explosion at the Farrugia Brothers fireworks factory in Gharb and said the feast programme was cancelled yesterday in solidarity. The programme yesterday included an afternoon band march, which is the most popular celebratory item in the feast programme.

He urged the faithful to pray for the victims and their families.

The fireworks factory was preparing fireworks mostly for the Xaghra feast. The victims were from Fontana and Zebbug Gozo.

Informed sources said that up to five truckloads of firework blew up yesterday in at least three explosions. The cause of the explosions is being investigated, with one of the areas of investigation being whether one of the manufactured fireworks had been opened, causing it to explode and start a series of explosions.

Investigators are also looking into whether other fireworks were being manufactured close to the finished fireworks and whether humidity levels may have contributed to what took place.

Meanwhile residents of Gharb who live close to the fireworks factory were this morning seen repairing smashed window panes, with some also reporting that the powerful blasts had caused structural damage.

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