Xagħra fund aims unclear

A sum of about €13,000 has been raised by the Xagħra feast committee in aid of the relatives of the victims of Sunday’s fireworks factory explosion in Għarb and other “objects” but it would not say what these were.

“The fund will be used to cover the victims’ families and other objects,” Xagħra archpriest Fr Carmel Refalo kept saying, refusing to elaborate what else the money would go for.

The news was first flagged by a resident from Xagħra who commented online about the generous collection. However, she later informed The Times that the money raised was not “only” going to the victims of the explosion but to all those that were affected.

When the resident who called in was asked to explain what the money would be used for, she would not comment further, referring the matter to the archpriest but even he would not comment.

Gozo Bishop Mario Grech referred to the fundraising in his homily during a Pontifical Mass on the occasion of the Xagħra village feast yesterday.

“I also laud the Xagħra parish community, led by Fr Refalo, who made a significant gesture that reflects your sensibility towards what happened, especially through the setting up of a fund to show solidarity with the victims’ families and those who suffered damages.”

Six people died in the explosion at the Farrugia Brothers Factory, which rocked Gozo on Sunday and wiped out an entire family: owner Nenu Farrugia, 67, his two sons Noel, 31, and Raymond, 32, daughter-in-law Antinette, son-in-law Peter Paul Micallef, 35, and 27-year-old family friend Jean Pierre Azzopardi.

Mr Micallef died yesterday morning aged after suffering extensive burns to his body. Raymond Farrugia succumbed to his injuries on Tuesday night. The other four died when the explosion occurred although the owner’s body was only found on Monday morning.

The blast shocked the nation and led to an ad hoc inquiry ordered by Justice and Home Affairs Minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici that will review the situation of fireworks production.

Mgr Grech said yesterday he had set up a commission that will advise him on directives to be issued in connection with fireworks used during feasts.

However, in Xagħra, for whom the explosives that ripped the Farrugia fireworks factory were destined, it was business as usual.

The parish feast committee decided to go ahead and celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Victories yesterday, pointing out that the victims were not from Xagħra and neither was the factory located in their town.

“It was with the greatest maturity that we decided to cancel the external celebrations on September 5,” Fr Refalo said a day after the explosion, provoking a barrage of criticism, including from the victims’ family, who accused the archpriest of insensitivity.

In the wake of that criticism, the Prekursur Band of Xewkija on Tuesday evening decided not to take part in the feast out of respect for Mr Azzopardi, who is from Xewkija.

Fr Refalo refused to comment about the family’s anger or the criticism directed against his parish, saying he would clarify their position in a statement, which had not yet arrived at the time of writing.