Access to the site where the Għarb fireworks factory stood before it exploded two Sundays ago killing six people is open to the public even though the Armed Forces of Malta cannot guarantee the area is completely safe.

The authorities are insisting the safety of the area, and the responsibility to cordon it off, lies with the owners of the Farrugia Brothers’ Fireworks Factory, who will be burying five members of their family today.

The sixth victim, Jean Pierre Azzopardi, was buried in Xewkija yesterday.

“People who enter the area do so at their own risk because they are trespassing private property since the area is still, technically, a licensed fireworks’ factory,” an army spokesman said.

The blast on September 5 was so powerful it left a large crater and debris could be found hundreds of metres away from the site. Since then, curious visitors have made their way to the Gozitan village to see the devastation for themselves.

Responsibility of site handed back to fireworks factory owners

One man wrote in explaining how he easily made his way into one of the “semi blasted rooms” and noticed sacks “filled with chemicals” still there.

The army spokesman explained that the sacks contained potassium nitrate that had to be mixed with other chemicals to be explosive and was not dangerous on its own.

Asked why the AFM’s explosives’ section did not remove all chemicals, the spokesman said the role of the AFM, as appointed by the court, was to render the area safe during the rescue operation and onsite magisterial inquiry.

The spokesman said after the inquiry was completed the police had handed over responsibility of the site to the owners who should ensure the area was safe or cordoned off.

This was confirmed by police sources but questions sent to the police remained unanswered at the time of writing.

“Our work is strictly till the phase of rescue and recovery operation... There is never a hard and fast guarantee that the area is safe... that is the responsibility of the owners,” the army spokesman said, adding the owner had a licence to handle explosives and could always ask for the AFM’s assistance if necessary.

Nenu Farrugia, 67, his sons Raymond, 32, and Noel, 31, daughter-in-law Antinette, 27, and son-in-law Peter Paul Micallef, 35, died in the blast. Their funeral will be held in Fontana today.

Family friend Jean-Pierre Azzopardi, 27, of Xewkija was buried yesterday.