The probability of a liquefied natural gas storage facility leak is small, but an international chemical expert has warned that the consequences of an accident would be “disastrous”.

It is much safer to place the gas storage facilities related to the gas-fired power station out at sea rather than inside the Marsaxlokk bay as is being proposed by the government, said Hans Pasman, a research professor at the Texas A&M University and a chemical engineer with 42 years experience in the field.

He explained that a possible gas cloud from a hole of 0.78 square metres, as opposed to 0.2 square metres cited in the Maltese authorities' report, would be 2.3 km long and 1.5 km wide.

The Dutch expert said that with a slow southern wind blowing inland into Marsaxlokk, this cloud could drift hundreds of metres reaching up to Villa Sans Souci – that is all of Marsaxlokk and beyond (see map).

“If this cloud is ignited – and this can literally happen by just a cigarette – it will kill all the people in the flame and may have a blast effect categorised as being 50 per cent lethal. This means that dwelling walls will collapse and windows shatter hundreds of metres in the distance, also with fatalities,” he insisted.

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