Man critical after fireworks blast

A 55-year-old man from Qormi was in critical condition yesterday after suffering severe burns when handling pyrotechnic material at the St Sebastian fireworks factory.

Raymond Bugeja, the factory’s licence holder, was injured from the waist up when the material he was handling exploded. According to a police statement he was also injured in the face despite wearing a protective mask.

The accident happened at around 3 p.m. The factory is at Wied iċ-Ċawsli in the limits of Qormi. No major damage was reported to the building.

Sources said the small explosion was followed by a fire. Mr Bugeja, a father of two, was conscious when rescuers from the Civil Protection Department arrived on site. He had managed to get out of the room where the explosion took place.

The police said there were no other people at the factory at the time of the incident.

The army’s Explosives Ordnance Disposal Unit secured the facility and make sure it was safe.

Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera is holding an inquiry and police investigations are under way.

The St Sebastian fireworks factory was the scene of a major accident in February last year when two men died in an explosion that rocked the area.

Damian Agius, who was in his early 20s, and Fredu Stellini, aged around 40, both of Qormi, died in the blast.

Their bodies were found underneath the concrete roof of the room they were working in after an arduous rescue operation that lasted some six hours.

The feast of St Sebastian is celebrated in the third week of July.