Gharb explosion: Search ends as fourth victim is found
Updated 11.45 a.m. - The search on the site of the Gharb fireworks factory explosion ended at about 11.30 a.m. today after the remains of the fourth victim were found. The other three victims were found yesterday.
Meanwhile Magistrate Josette Demicoli held an inquiry on the site this morning, while people familiar with the factory were questioned at Victoria police station by explosives experts.
It is understood that they were questioned on the layout of the factory, work practices and materials used.
Bryan Portelli
Mario GauciYesterday’s explosion flattened three rooms which were located close to each other. It also demolished the roof of a room used to store some materials, but the main fireworks store, located 40 metres away, survived intact, although its door was blown in.
Rescue dogs were used in the search and a mechanical shovel was brought in late yesterday to move concrete slabs.
Army experts have remained on site to remove unexploded petards and make the area safe.
Meanwhile, Nadur Council said that out of respect for one of the victims, who is from Nadur, it had cancelled all activities due this week in connection with Council Week. A blood donation drive will however still be held.
The factory blew up at 2.45 p.m. scattering boulders over a wide area and destroying four cars parked nearby. Another explosion took place half an hour later, slightly injuring a number of rescuers.
The dead are factory owner Gorg Gatt and Peppi Cini, both of Fontana, Mario Gauci, of Munxar - who was injured in another explosion a few years ago - and Bryan Portelli, from Nadur, the youngest of them at 23.
Mr Portelli, a nurse, had called his best friend at about 12.30pm and had arranged to call later to plan their evening out with some friends. His Facebook page was inundated with messages of condolence, many commenting on what a good and professional nurse he was.
The men had been working on aerial fireworks for a secondary feast of San Kurunatu at Nadur and the feast of the Immaculate Conception, celebrated in Qala. The factory also produces fireworks for the Gharb feast.
The relatives of the factory owner were also distraught, although they were heard commenting that he had died in the place he loved most and working on fireworks, his favourite pastime. Mr Cini’s relatives said he was obsessed with fireworks, despite their pleas for him to spend more time with them rather than risk his life manufacturing pyrotechnic devices.
A number of people, including many fireworks enthusiasts and relatives of the victims, returned to the site this morning to continue to watch proceedings. They were kept a safe distance away as bomb disposal experts also work to render the area safe.
The Civil Protection Department and the AFM are being assisted by volunteers from the Gozo-based ERRC.
Meanwhile, conservation experts will today inspect the historic San Dimitri chapel, located a short distance from the blast site. The chapel was restored recently and a fair was held there a week ago. The chapel is not believed to have been damaged since the explosion took place at a lower level in the valley.
Yesterday's explosion took place a few metres from the site of an explosion in September two years ago which killed six enthusiasts in another fireworks factory.
Popular Stories
Old buses, drivers to return
Former Judge Ray Pace found dead
Updated: Minister apologises for...
Three new Nationalist MPs elected –...
Where’s Everybody staff is given notice
Updated - Director of Prisons submits...
Update 4 - Eddie Fenech Adami stable...
Revealed...the face of a Maltese woman...
Update 3 - Woman trapped as car crashes...
In Discussion
Old buses, drivers to return
Updated: Minister apologises for...
Updated - Director of Prisons submits...
Enemalta seeking minimum five year gas...
Protected birds shot and trapped as...
Mario de Marco, Zammit Dimech concede,...
PN postpones salaries as financial...
Updated - PM's offer to Opposition MPs...
No appeals board for first part of power...
39 Comments
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
Mr Dylan Olliver
Nov 5th 2012, 22:00
If politicians really want to be credible, they should all agree that whoever wins the next election will ban fireworks and firework factories completely.
william cauchi
Nov 5th 2012, 19:55
'‘Change fireworks rules now or face a tragedy, high fireworks accident rate'' ''Malta will experience at least one large-scale fatal fireworks accident next year'' Bertrand Borg in TOM of 1st Dec 2011
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20111201/local/-Change-fireworks-rules-now-or-face-a-tragedy-.396376
The tragedy has come, and the next is round the corner. God help them all.
GAUCI JOSEPH C
Nov 5th 2012, 17:28
First of all may the Good God give eternel rest to all the victims and also give hope and fortitude to all their relatives. May I suggest that the Church authorities, especially Bishop of Gozo Mario Grech, start immediate talks with all the fire rowks enthuiasts of all the parishes with a view to try to suspend all bomb fireworks from feasts at least for the coming feats of 2013.
Mario Borg
Nov 5th 2012, 16:41
The Maltese Authorities should take heed and become proactive on this issue, if they are too busy to do it right then they should look at: http://www.atf.gov/publications/download/p/atf-p-5400-7.pdf.
Alex Bugeja
Nov 5th 2012, 16:06
This is their life and their passion, why all this fuss when a tragedy likes this happens to a fire works factory. People die with other accidents too like car acidents and sometimes it involves others who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. My condolences to all their families and a speedy recovery to all the injured.
Emilia Kensington
Nov 5th 2012, 15:54
It's not about banning the making of fireworks, it's about regulating and making sure no corners are being cut for safety's sake. Everything we do has a risk attached to it.
RIP to the victims and condolences to the families.
James Dewar
Nov 5th 2012, 17:55
We will never totally eliminate risk in life but I am sure there is much more that can be done to reduce and manage the risks associated with fireworks manufacture in Malta and Gozo where the recent incidents clearly suggest that more control is required. Condolencies to the victims and their grieving families.
Joe Vella
Nov 5th 2012, 15:47
Dear Brian,
Thanks for everything you did for our Father, May you rest in Peace. May your family find solace at such a difficult time.
Family of Francis Xavier Cassar
Iggy Vassallo
Nov 5th 2012, 15:34
Lots of people die at something that they love to do, you cant stop everything accidents happen in everything, people died at the Olympics, in sports, at work, scuba diving, car racing. they choose the love of it ahead of the risk. May they rest in peace.
Matthew Montebello
Nov 5th 2012, 14:54
Excellent coordination work between CPD, AFM and the Gozo-based Emergency Response Rescue Corps (ERRC)
John Edwards
Nov 5th 2012, 19:26
Thank you Matthew. The ERRC were at the scene a few minutes after the first explosions and were one of the last organisations to leave. They not only gave medical support, but also supplied much of the equipment including floodlighting.
However, I must pay tribute to all the services, which made a speedy and co-ordinated response, in particular the brave Bomb Disposal Team.
John Edwards
Nov 5th 2012, 19:27
Response 2
There is often much criticism in Malta of our services, in respect to how they respond to incidents such as the one in Gharb yesterday, but I can assure you; that the speed at which the different services assembled at the firework factory, including helicopter drops of vital key personnel, was very impressive and assuring.
John Edwards
Gharb
J Degabriele
Nov 5th 2012, 14:35
I think that at this stage, there's nothing else to say anymore. If people want to risk their lives, let them I say. As long as they keep well away from inhabited areas. Only their immediate families will keep on feeling their loss. Nothing will bring them back.
Mr G Psaila
Nov 5th 2012, 15:03
Keeping away from inhabited areas is still a worry. People travel on foot, by car etc and may still be reached by the devastating effects of a blast. Imagine walking through the countryside near this very spot, it is a very popular area for hikes etc.
Peter Shaw
Nov 5th 2012, 15:23
Exactly! as long as they do not pose a danger to other people let them play with fire !
N. Montanaro
Nov 5th 2012, 17:23
Signs of nearby firework factories are everywhere... may the victims rest in peace... and may their families find solace...
James Dewar
Nov 5th 2012, 17:51
In a civilised society such carnage should not be allowed to occur as a consequence of mistakes by enthusiasts no matter how far the premises are from inhabited areas. Out of respect for the deceased, their grieving families and others involved in the industry tighter controls need to be urgently implemented.
G Falzon
Nov 5th 2012, 14:30
Local political parties should unite to ban all fireworks in Malta. Why is this so difficult? What good does emerge from these fireworks? Hard experience shows that the major effects are sheer loss of life and limb and blantant waste of monies that could be used to noble scopes rather that to this destruction!
A A Camilleri
Nov 5th 2012, 16:02
sunday morning a young priest died while driving a car, should the local political parties unite and ban all cars from our roads, as for the comments of people walking near these fireowrks factories and getting injured, the car the young priest was driving injured other drivers.
may the priest and the men that died in the fireworks REST IN PEACE.
James Dewar
Nov 5th 2012, 17:59
@AA Camilleri: The comparison you seek to make is totally unrealistic. Life has risks but these risks should be properly assessed and managed and recent statistics regarding fireworks manufacture in Malta and Gozo suggest this is not the case.
G Falzon
Nov 5th 2012, 20:33
@AA Camilleri
I appreciate your reply to my question "What good does emerge from these fireworks?" And a comparison between your eventual reply and the good resulting from travel in automobiles.
By all means, let all these people rest in peace......but this will not erase an iota of the hard and useless tragedies!
Johann Tonna
Nov 5th 2012, 22:59
Dear G Falzon, who are you to to tell me what to do with my money??? Let me remind you that the Maltese PYROTECHNICIANS do everything on a pure voluntary basis, they make no profit from it. What good does emerge from these fireworks you say??? What about the Tour Operators? What about the tens of coaches and minibuses bringing hundreds of tourists?? What about kiosks making a living from these shows??
E Schembri
Nov 5th 2012, 14:21
To my knowledge, firework factories abroad are all built with thin corrugated sheet metal as a roof & not concrete slabs. The reason is so that the explosion will be directed upwards by popping the roof only & keeping the surrounding walls intact, thus ensuring minimal damage to the site & other nearby rooms. Ok, this does nothing to protect the person inside the room, but at least the rest r safe
Vincent Galea
Nov 5th 2012, 14:11
Now I know that my search for my investigating questions " Why are we here ? "," What is the meaning of life ? "
is over.
I have given up.
b
james cairns
Nov 5th 2012, 14:02
My best man was killed in a terrible firework explosion over 30yrs ago. Why has nothing changed? Where is health and safety? Who ever is in charge should be prosecuted and the owners held for corporate man slaughter!!
Cristina Bellizzi
Nov 5th 2012, 13:52
Rest in peace Brian .. thank you for everything you did with my Nanna xxxxx
Ms Maria Vella
Nov 5th 2012, 13:38
May they all rest in peace and may their families find solace at such a difficult time.
But this begs the question, why are the practices still allowed? this happened a few metres away from another tragic site. Apart from leaving family behind to suffer the consequences these factories put other people's life at risk
something has to be done, and now before tomorrow
Christian Grech
Nov 5th 2012, 13:36
May I wish a fast and full recovery to the injured rescuers!!
Steve Schembri
Nov 5th 2012, 13:16
I think that the people who work fireworks know the risk.There have been enough explosions & deaths to remind them that tragedies do happen. Should the government stop permits, tragedies would be bigger as people would start working in garages...remember Naxxar? It's their passion and as long as they do it in a safe place where innocent ppl do not get hurt...well let them be. It is their choice.
Maria Vassallo
Nov 5th 2012, 13:09
May they rest in your peace, Lord.
John Caruana
Nov 5th 2012, 12:04
Comments below asked will we ever learn?
The answer seems to be no.
If you read the report properly one of the victims had already passed through a similar experience and yet there he was manufacturing more fireworks!!!!!
May God have mercy on their souls and condolences to all the families
Mario Micallef
Nov 5th 2012, 13:49
John who are you to condemn the guy if he already had been injured in an accident and went there again? do you know the meaning of passion? all this bla bla is done because none of you hear have ever been there in first hand...so stop condemning and asking for abolishing.in the end all the hypocrits that criticised are found on rooftop during the summer nights gazing at this magnifcent art.RIP!
Mark J. Magri
Nov 5th 2012, 09:51
we don't need this type of passtime....it is very dangerous and if continued many future deaths in the future.
GRANPINTO
Peter Bonello
Nov 5th 2012, 14:34
you may not need it but they do.. as long as it is not a danger to the rest of us, they should be allowed to practice it. RIP to the victims!!
Mr T Zahra
Nov 5th 2012, 09:49
condolences to the families left behind....but will we ever learn anything at all from these disasters?
John Cachia
Nov 5th 2012, 09:32
Why can't we stop this human misery, haven't enough lives been lost, and when are we going to put an end to the suffering which senior citizens and disabled people have to put up with from the senseless firing of petards. The fireworks lobby is powerfull and both political parties will be reluctant to legislate. This is definitely the darker side of the Maltese nation.
michael grima
Nov 5th 2012, 12:30
To start with none are forced to go there they all do mainly as a hobby ,secondly how many people complaint about car noises so we stop them too and people dying in car accidents ,work related accidents so far i never heard of a bystandard dying in fire work related accidents.its sad to see these things happening but for me its risky like any other job only when it happens its louder.
John Dee
Nov 5th 2012, 14:30
Michael Grima - read the link : http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20121105/local/Tragedy-repeats-itself.444030
david xerri
Nov 5th 2012, 08:41
Rip all of you
Please choose the reason of your report below: