.png)
Board of inquiry to investigate materials used in fireworks manufacturing
Home Affairs minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici has appointed a Board of Inquiry to investigate the quality of materials used in the production of fireworks.
6 September 2010, 12:00am
Karl Stagno-Navarra
Karl Stagno-Navarra
1 min read
The board is being set up in the wake of yesterday's explosion at a fireworks factory in Gharb and the explosion at a fireworks factory near Mosta last month. Both incidents have claimed the lives of five people and the serious injury of another two.
It is understood that both explosions involved fireworks which had already been manufactured, whereas fireworks explosions in the past normally took place during the mixing of chemicals used for the fireworks.
MaltaToday is informed that the inquiry will be looking into the quality of chemicals that were imported last year – most of which were from the Far East – and which were used to manufacture the fireworks that were prepared throughout the year, and had been stored for this summer’s feasts. The fireworks that blasted the factories in Mosta and Gharb had prepared fireworks for the Santa Marija feast in Mosta and Our Lady of Victories in Xaghra.
According to sources, chemical material that was purchased last year was already suspicious, given that some of it did not have adequate labeling.
The Board of Inquiry is to be headed by Prof. Alfred Vella, an expert on chemicals, assisted by Prof. Victor Asciak, Joe Theuma and Servolo Delicata.
Delicata is the head of the government inspectorate on pyrotechnics.
Monique Cauchi •
With some of the stupid comments being left here it's hard to remember that six people have lost their lives.
•
John - what cheek! Making fun of this guy because he is not wearing regulation clothing. Off course he is not a PHD in chemistry - he is in fact a rocket scientist. You could just make out his space suite lying on the floor - left side of the photo.
Peter Paul Azzopardi •
Just look at the man! He must have a pHD in chemical explosives :)
but... can he read and write ?
Joe Tanti •
I would like to comment on the photo carried at he head of this article. On the 18th.August Miriam Dalli interviewed a certain Charlon Mifsud about fireworks manufacturing,its passion,its dangers and the apparent safety measures taken by these workers to prevent accidents.Charlon Mifsud stated in his answers that certain articlles like gold jewellery,nylon clothing,plastic objects and mobile phones are not taken into these so called fireworks factories cause of the apparent danger in using them (his words ,not mine) in the presence of these highly explosive materials. I am sure even electricity is banned from these buildings cause of the sparks that electrical apparatus generates. Now take a look at the photo in question and what do you see apparently: the man has a gold choker, a red plastic container is at his back and most important of all an airconditioning unit is affixed to the wall above his head, and I am sure it isnt there for decorative purposes. Furthere more, the first thing relatives of workers working in these factories do after hearing of an accident is phoning their relatives which they presume to be in these premises,so mobile phones ARE TAKEN into these volatile premises.Comments please, I like some answers.
Monique Cauchi •
I asked the question after the last explosion regarding where these materials were being bought from as I suspected they were coming from China. As I said before the Chinese couldn't care less how many people die so long as they get paid. The majority of fake designer clothing is made in China. The majority of fake medicines are made in China. Now we have substandard fireworks chemicals being sold by China and good people are losing their lives because of it.
I suggest that the Government should immediately close down every fireworks factory on the islands and send in military personnel to check the stability of the materials in these factories and destroy them if necessary. These imported chemicals may be cheap and the displays may be world class when no problems occur but neither the saving nor the quality of the display is worth one single life.
•
Donnhom f dan il-pajjiz xejn ma jsir bis-serjeta`.Ghaliex issa irridu naghmlu bord ta inkjesta biex naraw il-materjal hux ta livell ? Dan missu sar meta gie impurtat u mela issa qed nghidu li diga kien hemm suspetti ghax il-labelling ma kienx car !Jien iktar nahseb li l-problema hi fejn tidhol sigurta ta hazna u manifatturar.Jekk kull darba nghidu li l-umdita u s-shana qawwija hija ta periklu allura jidher car li m`ghandiex idea u nkomplu bl-istess zbalji.Anke fejn jidhlu strutturi,ma nafx jien ghaliex ma jinbnewx strutturi tal- konkrit rinfurzat mela jinbnew kmamar bil-gebel tal-franka biex dawn ,waqt spluzjoni jsiru missiliu u min forsi jkollu cans jiskansha jaqlaghha b xi cangun fuq rasu ! Meta ha nitghallmu?
•
Better late than never even though such a board should have been appointed after the first explosion last year.
