An inquiry board set up a year ago to investigate the cause of several fireworks factory blasts is still awaiting “important feedback” to conclude its work, according to the chemist heading the team.

“The work is very close to completion but we’re waiting for important feedback that would hopefully arrive within the next one to two weeks, following which the report of the inquiry can quickly be finished,” Alfred Vella, from the University’s Chemistry Department said.

He did not give details on the type of feedback the board was waiting for.

In July, Prof. Vella had said the board was expected to conclude its investigations by the end of summer after conducting tests on explosive material and speaking to chemical importers and fireworks enthusiasts. The board also examined the findings of the magisterial inquiries into accidents that happened over the past 20 years to look for any patterns in the reported causes of explosion.

A full festa season has passed since the board was set up and fireworks factories have already started gearing up for next year’s production.

“Unfortunately, it’s hard to respect deadlines with great accuracy because one doesn’t have control over all the variables,” Prof. Vella said.

The inquiry board was set by the Home Affairs Ministry after a massive explosion killed six people and razed a fireworks factory in the limits of Għarb in Gozo.

The ministry had said at the time it expected the board to conclude the investigation in “the shortest time possible”.

The Għarb explosion was the second deadly accident in less than a month. In August last year, a man died when a fireworks factory exploded in the limits of Mosta.

There were three other fireworks explosions in 2010, when three men died.

The accidents had, among other things, raised doubts on the quality of the chemicals used in the manufacture of fireworks and the board was tasked to examine the matter, see what had caused the accidents and recommend measures to improve safety.

The other board members are chemist Servolo Delicata, biologist Victor Axiak and veteran fireworks enthusiast Joe Theuma.

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