While the attention of the whole country was focused on St John’s Co-Cathedral on Friday during the consecration ceremony of new archbishop Paul Cremona, toxic fumes were emanating from a manhole in Great Siege Square, between St John’s and the Law Courts.

None of the people who thronged St John’s and Valletta realised what was going on as care was taken not to create panic. The police and the Civil Protection Department, however, sprung into action. The area around the manhole was cordoned off but many must have thought that was part of the security arrangements for the ceremony.

Special monitors meanwhile had ascertained that the fumes were very toxic and very dangerous, CPD head Peter Cordina told this newspaper.

A proper investigation of what was going on underneath St John’s (where there is a huge underground cistern – see special feature Underneath Valletta in the centre pages) could only begin once the new archbishop had left and on his way to the official reception at the Casino Maltese and the crowds had gone home.

The manhole was then removed and left open all night to provide better ventilation to the cistern.

It was only yesterday morning that CPD personnel were allowed to descend into the cistern. They found that the fumes had abated but there were still some residual fumes.

The situation is now being monitored every two hours and police investigations are ongoing. Because, as sources told this newspaper, it is still unclear whether the fumes were caused by an accident, such as somebody dumping something in the tunnels that feed into the cistern – or that they were the result of some attempt to disrupt the proceedings.

Meanwhile, speaking to this newspaper from Catania, VRC’s Ray Bondin said he was certain the fumes were the result of built-up pressure in Valletta’s decrepit drainage system. VRC has warned time and again that unless the system is properly maintained and aired, this could result in the build-up of very dangerous fumes, especially now that regular maintenance of the system is not being done.