Every night, 60-year old Mario Caruana goes to sleep in the uneasy knowledge that a simple power cut could put his life at risk. About a year ago, the large apartment block across the street from his home in Ta’ Xbiex installed a large generator in one of its underground garages.

Whenever the lights go out, and once a month for scheduled testing, the generator’s street-level exhaust vents flood the air with thick, acrid fumes.

For Mr Caruana, who suffers from serious heart problems and has had two heart attacks, the fumes could be lethal.

“I suffer from a disease which means a third of my heart isn’t working. So if I’m asleep and the generator is on for enough time, I may not wake up or I could end up in hospital with the possibility of having to carry around an oxygen tank for the rest of my life,” he said.

“I have reported the matter to the police, the health authorities, Mepa and the council. The police insist it is a matter for the health authorities while the health authorities say it is a police issue.”  

See Mr Caruana's comments above.