Gharb fireworks blast claims another victim
Raymond Farrugia, 38, one of two men who were severely burnt in Sunday's fireworks factory explosion in Gharb, succumbed to his injuries early this morning at Mater Dei Hospital.
The police said he passed away at 3.30 a.m.
He was the son of fireworks factory owner Ninu Farrugia and brother of Noel, 31, who also perished in the blast.
The other victims were Antoinette Farrugia, 27, the pregnant wife of Noel Farrugia, and Jean-Pierre Azzopardi, 27.
Peter Paul Micallef, 35, is still fighting for his life in hospital.
The government yesterday appointed a board of inquiry to investigate the quality of the chemicals used in fireworks and the practices used in the mixtures to produce the fireworks.
The last time that a fireworks factory explosion claimed five lives was on June 27, 2007 when a factory in Xwieki, near Birkirkara, blew up.
Seven soldiers and policemen died exactly 26 years ago when fireworks being carried on a patrol boat exploded off Comino.
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maria mercieca
Sep 9th 2010, 08:09
Issa li l-festa ghaddiet u inkiteb u intqal hafna diskors li ahna tax-Xaghra nies bla qalb, nixtieq inkun naf tghidx ftakartux tghidu talba ghal-mistrieh ta' ruhom u ghal farag ta' qrabathom ghax hawn fix-Xaghra ma waqafx isir talb ghalihom minn dak inhar tal-incident. Wisq nahseb li ghankom xorti tafu fejn hi l-ghatba tal-knisja. F'GIEH IT-TJUBIJA TAGHKOM U L-VIRTUJIET U L-MORALI LI INTOM MOGHNIJA BIHOM TKOMPLUX NITFGHU MELH FUQ IL-FERITI.
simon cutajar
Sep 8th 2010, 09:02
May God them the eternal life in peace !
...............................and please don't write silly message's
Czammit
Sep 7th 2010, 23:01
RIP to all victims.
Does the church want to stop this? Very easy, 1 victim, all feasts will be celebrated without fireworks for the whole year. How can the church accept celebrations with families destroyed over these `saintly` celebration?
Do I like fireworks? Yes, I do. I can't understand the excesses though. Every year the bombs get louder, the colour changes are increasing, the length of the barrage is getting longer and longer. Why? A little competition was ok, but now this is madness.
Some people are comparing car accidents and fatalities with fireworks and arguing that since more people die on the streets, should we ban cars as well? The argument is totally wrong. Cars are used DAILY by 70% of the population. Fireworks are used and handled by 0.5% of the population on a weekly basis. Having nearly the same amount of fatalities this year is sad.
God help everyone involved.
joe micallef
Sep 7th 2010, 14:12
In all of this please remember in your prayer the feamily of this victims it hard to loose one in the family let alone five plus an unborn child which is still part of the family oh God please have mercy on them and give them all the strenght they need.
Sarah Gatt
Sep 7th 2010, 13:43
My sorrows for the family, 3 generation gone in minutes.
But shouldn't all fire works be stopped until the reason for these explosion are found, could we be at risk in our own areas from faulty batches of chemicals as a resident of Senglea and living next to the church where fireworks are being let off. I'm not telling anyone to stop their feast, stop there hobby, but get proper training abroad, check the suppliers. But most of all stop the loss of life.
Darren Bonnici
Sep 7th 2010, 13:39
This makes 6 dead because you have to remember that there was an unborn baby involved too.. Even so the death count may become 7 because Peter Paul Micallef is still playing with his life in hospital.. The tragedy's of the fireworks factory are increasing and they claiming more lifes each explosion.. My opinion the goverment needs to try and do the firework's factories more secure.
Mario Zammit
Sep 7th 2010, 13:03
In my opinion this year all festivities should be cancelled and from next year all fireworks should be banned.
John Inguanez
Sep 7th 2010, 12:57
Another crusade for the banning of fireworks, instead of seeing what to do to get safety at the fireworks factories. Only last week, the same fireworks factory (St Joseph of Ghaxaq) went to Spain, transported its fireworks and nothing happened....except that they won the festival.So all security was in place. This time again all the five factories transported their fireworks from Malta to Gharb without any difficulty or accidents. So what happened? This year we had results from new regulations, next years with lesser noise we will have more. Let's not destroy firework, by every right let get them controlled!
Martin Büttner
Sep 7th 2010, 11:56
How many people have to die?
Fireworks should be banned completely. The production should be prohibited. Storage should only be made possible in the right environments, specially dedicated and certified and inspected places, also the amount should be regulated.
And the use should only be allowed for well trained and certified pyrotechnicians under continuous inspection.
This is what the government can do.
But also the society and the Church have to be active in the fight for life!
The Church and organising village feast committees should ban fireworks from the feast.
If you want to be serious about it and if everyone really wants to avoid such tragedies, if you really rate the human lives higher than some nice fireworks entertainment, then these are the points to be followed.
You can implement more safety regulations and you can limit the work to be done by certified pyrotechnicians only, but it will not be enough.
Excuse me, but it is taken too easily, the people are not aware of the danger, often the knowledge, the education and the training is missing.
If fireworks are not banned completely, more accidents will happen and more people will die!
Jesmond Micallef
Sep 7th 2010, 13:31
I appreciate your concern for human life but do not agree with banning of fireworks. I'd rather tackle the situation with more precise science, formal training, education and professionalism as found in the weapons industry worldwide.
May Mr. Raymond Farrugia rest in peace. Considering is injuries, I hope he did not suffer too much. My condolences to his family, relatives and freinds.
I also wish Mr. Peter Paul Micallef and his family all the strength to pull through.
A Chircop
Sep 7th 2010, 14:04
Let's bear in mind that a great many more people die in traffic accidents worldwide, than through firework accidents. But then we cannot just decide to ban all vehicles, can we? Very few activities have zero occupational hazard.
We should however make sure that the procedures are as safe and responsible as possible. And for so many inexplicable exlosions to happen within the last year or so, there must be something wrong somewhere. It cannot be just coincidence. An in-depth enquiry into the quality of chemicals being used is certainly in order, for a start. Let's hope that the problem is discovered and solved.
J Micallef
Sep 7th 2010, 17:56
More people die from traffic accidents than from fireworks - so YESS let's ban cars and motorcycles too!!! How many more people have to die?!?!?!
Teresa Pace
Sep 7th 2010, 19:22
@ A Chircop
Are you for real? Do you know what just hit Malta and Gozo? do you know what just hit the Farrugia family? Do you know what just hit the mother/wife - burying her husband, two sons, daughter in law and grandchild at one go? do you know what that means? I do not think so. Would you reason the same if God forbid it was a family member who died at such a tragedy? A tragedy which could have been avoided. Of course, if fireworks had a low risk then go ahead fireworks it is...but do you know how many families and lives have been destroyed this year? Try putting yourself in their shoes and then talk.
Pavlaki Pano Aroditis
Sep 7th 2010, 20:34
To Mr Chircop who claimed that more people die in traffic accidents worldwide, and is clearly an apologist for these irritating petards that annoy everyone (bar of course the few empty idiots who enjoy making them):
Actually, if you take into account that millions of people use the car every day, accidents are relatively rare worldwide. In Malta some 200,000 people drive a car every day of the year and we have very few fatalities. By contrast there are some 100 people manufacturing fireworks in Malta at most for some 30 days of the year and we get some 10 fatalities. That's a very high percentage of users. In fact, according to my book, that is even a higher casualty rate and risk than a war. Call that a "hobby"? I call it suicide, and unfortunately other innocent people get killed. I call that involuntary manslaughter. So please stop justifying their manufacture. We've had enough of these idiotic bangs. The festa petard is the selfish imposition of the noisy few on the silent majority.
D.A. Spiteri
Sep 7th 2010, 11:24
The comments that some of you people are writing here are sensless!!! Yes we all feel sorry for the loss of these people, but holding on to the same argument that the festa should have been cancelled, then why were'nt the other festas of St Marija cancelled too after the Mosta factory blew up?????? Isn't that a sign of respect??? And unlike the Mosta feast were even after they lost a dear member of the village, they stilled had fireworks on the feast day, no fireworks have been heard in the village of Xaghra. Isn't that sign of respect???? If you want to judge, come and see the atmosphere and then one can be able to speak!!!!!
Is a feast only about fireworks, as some of you people are making it out to be??? Why should others suffer for what happened.??? Before talking make sure you get the facts right!!!!!!!!!!!!
Melchior Busuttil
Sep 7th 2010, 12:44
D.A. Spiteri " Why should others suffer for what happened.??? " You call doing without the external celebrations suffering!!!!!
Teresa Pace
Sep 7th 2010, 19:26
@ D.A. Spiteri
The mother/wife knows the meaning of suffering....the exact definition.
r curmi
Sep 7th 2010, 10:53
rest in peace friend.
D.Frendo
Sep 7th 2010, 10:50
How many more innocent lives must we risk for "entertainment" Every time, we read and hear the same thing from prominent personnel, "a waste of life", "an Unnecessary loss".
Does the quantity and quality of a village's firework display maketh the feast? Of course not. We must remember the real reason for the feast, the saint that we are meant to be worshiping. Tradition is easily adapted as the norm, and unfortunately, fireworks displays are now considered by many, to be as important in the feast period as the band march.
As colourful and creative the displays are, one lost life does not equate to justification unsafe or "at risk" practices
victor pulis
Sep 7th 2010, 10:33
A.A Caruana(1 hour, 2 minutes ago)
Niftakru sew dan il-kaz tal-patrol boat, il-familja ta marti mil-Isla, u wiehed mil-vittmi kellu familja min hemm, u l-festa tal-Vitorja thasret mil-ewwel.
Jien ukoll niftakar il familja li binhom kien wiehed mis suldati li miet fl-ispluzzjoni tal patrol boat. Kien Kunjomu Simpson u niftakar nilghabu mighu meta konna tfa ghax konna girien. Mill inkjesta ma kien hareg xejn konkret hlief li possibilment l-ispluzzjoni saret ghax kien hemm xi trab tal polvri fuq il gverta u nghalaq xi hatch u qarsu. La kif kien mghobbi ix-xoghol tan nar, la min kien responsabbli, xejn.
Pierre André Aquilina
Sep 7th 2010, 10:23
"The last time that a fireworks factory explosion claimed five lives..."
A small correction to The Times' reporting. This tragedy claimed six lives not five (and let us hope and pray that that remains the final tally). Six lives because the victim Antoinette Farrugia was with child. We cannot adopt a two weights, two measures attitude here: as long as we continue to insist and believe - as a nation - that the unborn child is a person with the right to life and therefore oppose abortion, we cannot not count the loss of the unborn child in this instance. May the Lord grant them eternal rest.
Anthony Farrugia
Sep 7th 2010, 10:22
The church authorities have no say on fireworks since permissions are issued by the police. A factory or a committee independent of the Church authority can apply for permission to set fireworks as long as it is in line with the legal requirments permission is granted. The fact that Malta is placing very well in perotchenic competions, and goverment is organising activities and competions on national scale is encouraging more people to dedicate more time and money to this 'hobby'.The church authorities never encouraged fireworks but when it opend its mouth there was a lot of protest and accusations that the church wants to stop external festivities. The authorietes do not always see that the law is obeyed by all in all towns/ villages in Malta, its stong with the weak and weak with the strong
J.Debono
Sep 7th 2010, 10:01
The Church is PRO LIFE, so for Heaven's sake take a stand, once and for all and stop this carnage!
Joe Grima Brussels
Sep 7th 2010, 09:32
May the Good Lord have mercy on these victims, and the dear ones they left behind. I hope that ANOTHER factory is NOT built on the devastation left after the explosion. My humble opinion is that it will be more fitting if the area is cleared, and a public garden is created on the spot, in memory of the six victims.
Personally I believe that the external feast of Xaghra should have been cancelled. But for those laying all the blame on the Curia: First, the external festivities are the responsibility of a seperate commitee. And second, in the past, when the Church authorities tried to suggest limits to external festivities, I still remember the uproar from many who disagreed.
Frances Busuttil
Sep 7th 2010, 09:25
As a Xaghra resident, I am still getting a festa, a noisless one this time. It may turn out to be the best festa ever given the circumstances. If this is going to be a festa after all why not consider other fireworks free festas in the future. Why not pave the way for a new trend. Money saved could be wisely utilized for environmental issues besetting our village maybe saving Ramla Bay. The sick, elderly, children and animals will have a feast and our identity will still be intact.
This sounds crazy dosen't it! But than what is the killing of an entire family sound like!
After all the excess demand for the huge amount of fireworks for the 'biggest' feast ever caused these deaths and there is no other explanation. I rest my cause.
mariopandolfino
Sep 7th 2010, 09:16
Five soldiers and two police officers were killed on the patrol boat fatal explosion 26 yers ago today.
James A. Tyrrell
Sep 7th 2010, 09:02
A Government appointed board of inquiry is a good idea but I doubt if it’s enough. If it takes as long as everything else seems to in Malta to reach any conclusions how many more will die? My suspicion is that the chemicals being used were bought from China for the simple reason that they were cheap. Like everything else that comes from China it can't be trusted. How many other factories have these same chemicals either stored or already made up? Does each factory source their own chemicals or do they get together and buy in bulk to get a better deal? If that's the case then other factories have the same problem waiting to happen.
Continue with the board of enquiry but stop any further activity in factories and send in the AFM explosives experts to check this stuff out. If it's found to be unstable it should be destroyed on site. This madness has to stop before more poor souls suffer the same fate.
Pavlaki Pano Aroditis
Sep 7th 2010, 08:55
It may well be the case that the single most important cause of accidental deaths in Malta are fireworks - certainly far greater than road fatalities, or even accidents at work.
Rita Zammit
Sep 7th 2010, 08:53
i was disgusted to learn that the feast is still going to be held "since the victims were not from the parish". 5 people have died and celebrations are still going to be held. have we lost all respect?
its a shame. the curia should intervene and stop the feast at all costs. how can one go out to the festa knowing that 5 died while preparing fireworks for the feast?
Jeffrey Zammit
Sep 7th 2010, 08:41
5 victims dead .... and the people have the guts to celebrate. Now that's what I call solidarity. Then again who am I to judge?
Fenech MD
Sep 7th 2010, 09:04
.....6 if you count the unborn child....
This is the time to mourn not to celebrate.
Franco Farrugia
Sep 7th 2010, 09:07
Oh, I agree with you. But in Gozo, things move differently from Malta. It's Gozo. Over there, they have a different god.
Malcolm Felix
Sep 7th 2010, 09:08
Even if it was one!
msacco
Sep 7th 2010, 09:16
naqbel ma jeff jien 100%agree ma naqbilx li se jghamlu l festa avolja mhux mirahal taghhom u li kienu bisiness imma almenu dawk l 5 victims mhux se jigu lura hux imsiken u miskina dik lomm mur sabara ..... almenu igibulhom rispett mhux hekk .... rip ... atihom l mulej l mistrieh ta dejjem ....
C Camilleri
Sep 7th 2010, 10:37
@ Franco Farrugia - 'It's Gozo. Over there, they have a different god.'
How did you work this one out? Where did this come from? In Malta following the devastating accident in which the young man from Mosta lost his life, the Santa Marija festa was cancelled only in Mosta - however unless I'm very much mistaken, across the island 6 other Santa Marija festi still went ahead - as did the one in Victoria Gozo (island of the 'different god'!)
My heart goes out to the victims and families of the victims of the Gharb fireworks blast
Caroline Camilleri
Sep 7th 2010, 12:19
@ Franco Farrugia - 'It's Gozo. Over there, they have a different god.'
Where did this come from? How did you work this out!!!? In Malta, following the devastating accident in Mosta where a young man tragically lost his life, the Santa Marija feast was cancelled only in Mosta. Unless I'm very much mistaken another 6 Santa Marija feasts took place all over Malta as it did in Victoria Gozo (island of apparantly a 'different god').
My heart goes out to the victims and indeed the family members of the victims of this tragedy
Fenech MD
Sep 7th 2010, 15:51
@ Franco Farrugia
I don't agree with you that our sister island behaves differently.
Do you remember the Naxxar accident, where illegal fireworks were manufactured in a garage? The feast went ahead, even though there were many residents who were against it.
B'dispjacir nghid li l-knisja (f'dal-kas tax-Xaghra) spiccawlha l-valuri u s-sens ta' Solidarjeta`.
Teresa Pace
Sep 7th 2010, 08:36
I hope to God that this nonsense is stopped and priorities are made right. Fireworks vs human life...which is the most important? Ask the victims' family? As the wife/mother of the Farrugia family? Is personal satisfaction (our satisfaction) for fireworks so great that we place a human life above it? Fireworks are purely for human satisfaction, as I am sure all patron saints, our Lady does not mind a feast without fireworks...what our Lady wants is the internal disposition for Jesus and for her to lead us to Him that is all...not fireworks and lives being lost! Ah and the feast going on as usual...personally a day of prayer would be more appropriate. But then other people's opinion should be respected.
adrian agius
Sep 7th 2010, 08:35
10 DEAD IN 2010 FOR STUPID FIREWORKS !!!!!!
Ray Buhagiar
Sep 7th 2010, 08:31
Finally, after 5 more unnecessary deaths, the Govt appointed a board. I hope the health and safety inspectorate will conduct an internal investigation for failing to report any shortcomings in this industry that claimed so many lives. If no investigation is forthcoming, I hope that the appointed board will also look at how inspections are actually carried out.
Teresa Pace
Sep 7th 2010, 08:30
May God give them eternal rest and may God help that wife/mother of the Farrugia family and the families concerned!
mariopandolfino
Sep 7th 2010, 08:30
Bhal lum 26 sena ilu kienet spoldiet patrol boat tal forzi armati meta kienet qed jgorr nar mahdum illegalment biex dan jintrema il bahar u f'din it-tracedja tilfu hajjithom hames suldati u zewg pulizija.In -nar ukoll kien qed jingarr u sar dan l-incident li kien sammar li gzejjer Maltin . Issa smajna xi esperti li qed jghidu li aktarx li l-ewwel li ha kien in-nar li kien ingar min Malta fuq wiehed min tliet trakkijiet .Toqghod tikkunsidra li dan il gar ta nar seta kellu aktar konsegwenzi fatali u nghid ghaliex.Dan in-nar ingarr min xi erbgha jew hames postijiet tan nar f'malta u dawn it-trakkijiet ghadew min diversi irhula Maltin biex telqu lejn ic-Cirkewwa fejn umbghad taghbbew fuq luzzu privat fejn twassal sa Hondoq ir-Rummien fejn rega taghbba fuq tliet trakkijit ohra u dawn regaw ghaddew min irhula Ghawdxi .Jiena qed jaqbadni il bard meta qed insemmi dan ghax veru li tista tkun gewwa darek stess u tmur tintaqa mal Mulej meta jsiru dawn l-affarijiet.Il Bord li waqqaf il gvern jrid ukoll jara dan il mezz ta caqliet min naha ghal l-ohra ta nar mahdu biex b'hekk nevitaw imwiet bla bzonn.
MT Caruana
Sep 7th 2010, 09:20
Niftakru sew dan il-kaz tal-patrol boat, il-familja ta marti mil-Isla, u wiehed mil-vittmi kellu familja min hemm, u l-festa tal-Vitorja thasret mil-ewwel.
R.Gauci
Sep 7th 2010, 11:27
L-ewwel haga kondoljanzi lil qraba tal-Vittmi involuti!!
Sadanitant l-Awtorita jew Gvern li tant is-soltu tiftahar bihom int sur Pandolfino ghadhom ma kellhomx il-guzz jiehdu decizjoni u johorgu ordni li sakemm jkollhom rizultat preciz ta' l-inkjesti prezenti ma jinhadimx u ma jinharaqx loghob tan-nar u kull fabbrika u mhazen jigu sigillati ghal issa!! Xi haga hazina dan l-ahhar qed tigri f'dan is-suppost delizzju??!! Jien ma nridx indahhal politika fin-nofs f'din it-tragedja imma f'pajjizi barranin fejn hemm certu serjeta meta jkunu jafu li hemm xi tip ta' periklu ghas- sahha u sigurta tan-nies jittiehdu decizjonijiet iebsa anki jekk dan ifisser li jintilfu miljuni kbar ta' flus per ezempju meta sbroffa l-vulkan fl-Islanda u twaqqfu t-titjiriet kollha w meta xi prodott jkun diffettuz jingabar mis-suq anki hawn Malta stess!!
Jien mhux favur li jinqata ghal kollox il-loghob tan-nar mill-festi almenu jithalla g-gikgikfogu w nar simili imma certu kontrolli hemm bzonn li jsiru fuq in-nar tal-bomba, ma jistax jkun li nibqaw sejrin hekk ghax kif ghidt int stess jaqbdek il-bard tahseb minm fejn ghadda dan in-nar li sploda!! Il-pajjiz ghandu iktar fejn juza l-rizorsi li qed jinhlew minhabba dawn l-incidenti kbar u povri l-familji kollha li qed jinkisru !!
JOHN RIZZO
Sep 7th 2010, 08:15
MAY THEY REST IN PEACE.
THE CURIA HAS THE STRONGEST SAY FOR THE CONTROL OF FIREWORKS AS AFTER ALL,THESE ARE MANUFACTURED FOR RELIGOUS ACTIVITIES.
Teresa Pace
Sep 7th 2010, 08:38
Why do people everytime have to blame the Church or the Curia? This is external manifestation. The Church's opinion on external manifestation is greatly controlled. May I bring to your attention the Church's opinion about the feasts earlier on this year and the outcome...what the people said and did. The people are not ready yet, the Church is.
C Borg
Sep 7th 2010, 09:07
Teresa Pace
It's exactly for the same reason why people like you always defend the church and try to brush off all responsibilty from its shoulders even in cases like this, in which the church is clearly directly involved in the decision making (of for example whether the festa should be celebrated or not). Even if it were not, its message should be to show respect to the victims and their families and friends.
Christianity is not about how good, clean and rich our church buildings look, and it's not about nice words. It's about showing some RESPECT in sad cases like this one where till now 6 lives have been destroyed.
Church and false nice words are one thing, true respect is another.
And by the way, I am not a religious person at all.
Fenech MD
Sep 7th 2010, 17:53
I do not agree with you Ms Pace
Meta jinqala' xi glied bejn il-baned jew kazini, malajr harget il-kurja tghid li l-festi esterni thassru, bhala 'punishment'.
Allura 6 minn nies(ghax it-tarbija li kien hemm fil-guf hija hlejqa t'Alla wkoll), ma kienx haqqhom li flok 'niccelebraw' nuru ftit rispett lejnhom?
john micallef
Sep 7th 2010, 08:11
about time that someone came up with the idea to investigate materials and practices. as usual in malta, first a catastrophe, then we take action
Charles Grima
Sep 7th 2010, 08:08
Why is the unborn child not being counted as a victim? Why all this senseless death? Why do the firecworks 'dilettanti' do not realize that this is a gamble with death?
And why, oh why is the Festa still being celebrated?
The life of a child, is more than a forest...
The life of a child, is more than religion...
The life of a child, is more than a firework....
The life of a child..... is simply priceless... P R I C E L E S S !
John Pisani
Sep 7th 2010, 09:09
You are right Charles. Check this link http://johnpisani.net/kronaka/?p=5006
smuascat
Sep 7th 2010, 09:54
Ur so right Charles Grima the victims are 6 we are forgetting the unborn child.God have mercy on the families be with them at this difficult time
M. Calleja
Sep 7th 2010, 11:33
It-tarbija mhix tintghadd bhala vittima individwali ghax skond il-ligi Maltija jekk it-tarbija ma tkunx ghadha twieldet mhix mitqiesa bhala cittadin. U min jahseb li ghandi zball, imur jistaqsi lil dawk in-nisa kollha li kellhom korriment fit-tqala, partikolarment tqala avvanzata, li lanqas biss jinghataw il-jedd li jidfnu lit-tarbija taghhom, lanqas fil-qabar privat tal-familja.
Naqbel ma' Charles Grima, it-tarbija hija individwu u ghandha tissemma bhala is-sitt vittma, u b'hekk tinghata dinjita' lill-ezistenza ta' din it-tarbija.
S.agius
Sep 8th 2010, 10:16
Sorry but who confirmed that she was pregnant alot of BLA BLA BLA... Mrs. Farrugia Nenu's wife denied reports that Antinette was not pregnant!!
Dennis Zammit
Sep 7th 2010, 08:06
It is true that we Maltese consider Gozo a separate republic from Malta.
The Gozo Curia, a totally separate entity from Malta since 1800s is responsible for all the Gozo priests and arch-priests and the feasts in Gozo. Gozo has ONE feast per weekend to be sure that everyone can go to each other's feast.
Although in theory, the Xaghra feast bought the fireworks from the former factory, I feel that respect to the victims, although just suppliers, should overcome the proposed feast enthusiasm and Gozo economy.
And if anyone pities the feast organizations, € 50,000 on ONE feast fireworks is a large sum of money going up in smoke.
M. Calleja
Sep 7th 2010, 07:57
Nixtieq niehu din l-opportunita' sabiex naqsam is-soghba tieghi mas-sinjura Farrugia li tilfet kwazi il-familja kollha f'din it-tragedja. Lanqas nista' biss nimmagina minn xiex tinsab ghaddejja din il-mara. Nittama li l-awtoritajiet u l-Knisja isibu l-hin u l-mezzi kollha possibli sabiex jghinu lil din il-mara emozzjonalment, socjalment, finanzjarjament u b'kull mezz iehor possibli. Nittama hafna li l-Knisja tghinna tassew mhux biss bi kliem ta' farag li jghaddi u jintnessa u b'sostenn konkret tul dan iz-zmien difficli li ser tibqa' ggorr ghall-bqija ta' hajjitha.
Aghtihom O Mulej il-mistrieh ta' dejjem, u aghti lill-familjari il-farag li jehtiegu.
r micallef
Sep 7th 2010, 07:56
Alas that is good news that the Government is holding an inquiry following this tragic incident. I sincerely hope that that will be an independent and serious. I truly beleive that we must say "Stop to all these tragic events - let us put our house in order and we can truly celebrate our feasts".
I extend my condolences to the Farrugia family. May God be with you at this delicate moment.
G Falzon
Sep 7th 2010, 07:54
Government, opposition and the Church should legitimately act and in full force! If need be fireworks are to be banned. Yes, with the same power and legitimacy they intervene to curtail other pastimes, such as hunting, fishing, smoking, drug intake, car racing, etc. Why not?
ray azzoardi
Sep 7th 2010, 07:37
this noisy festa attraction has claimed too many lives and has become a bigger sorrow then the joy fireworks could ever
give. may the victims rest in peace and sincere condolence to their families.
IVAN CAMILLERI
Sep 7th 2010, 07:36
What a shame from the curia....
If a march goes over the limit, the feast is cancelled, if a new statue or band club is up for a proposal, then it intereferes & the respective comittee faces a ban or the equivalent......
We have a tragedy beyond measure here, both physical & moral, but behold : the feast will go on as planned...............
IL-FESTA TAL-VITORJA????? VITTORJA TAL-MEWT???? ISTHU!!!!
G Falzon
Sep 7th 2010, 07:28
And the band goes saying "Viva Marija Bambina" for this wasteful carnage!
C. Farrugia
Sep 7th 2010, 07:20
And the Xaghra feast will go on and be *celebrated*:Business as Usual........ Does the Curia TRULY has NOTHING to say? Where is the REAL christian sentiment here, from the ones we EXPECT it the most?
When you laugh the World laughs with you....when you cry you cry alone.
S. Vella
Sep 7th 2010, 07:58
I'll pick up a plea from another commentator - should all external celebrations of all feasts (Malta & Gozo) be cancelled as a sign of respect? I say yes.
G. Grech
Sep 7th 2010, 08:13
Curia would definitely have a more Christian sentiment if it goes to the real root of the problem and disassociates all pagan practices like fireworks and band club competition from the real religious festivities. Religious feastivities have become a "mini carnival".
R Axisa
Sep 7th 2010, 07:19
Oh my God! The worst fireworks tragedy concerning one whole family. May they all rest in peace and may God help the rest of the family. I also remember when two brothers lost their lives when St Catherine's fireworks factory of Zurrieq blew up in the early 70s. I was still a little child at that time but many memories are still very vivid in my mind!