Alfred Cassar, the 46-year-old from Zurrieq, was still fighting for his life at the I.T.U. in St. Luke’s Hospital last night, after receiving extensive burns to 65 per cent of his body in the fireworks explosion at St Catherine’s fireworks factory on Thursday.
The explosion took the life of another man, Zaren Barbara, a father of four. An autopsy was held on his body yesterday morning. Barbara, aged 62, was mixing powders used for the production of fireworks when the explosion occurred at the factory, situated in the limits of Tal-Qortin, at Zurrieq.
Prof. Victor Axiak, chairman of the Environment Commission of the archdiocese of Malta, regretted when speaking to TMID that regulations relating to fireworks factories came up for discussion only when such an accident occurred.
“The Environment Commission notes with great sadness as well as with anger that this highly important national issue is discussed only in the immediate aftermath of tragic loss of life as happened yesterday. Very soon, the media, the authorities as well as the general public will again enter into a kind of “national torpor” until our collective conscience is stirred up once again by the next accident.
“For the sake of any lost victims as well as for their families, we call for a more mature national approach towards this issue, which should include a firm commitment to pass from words to concrete action.”
In an opinion document on the subject, issued on 13 June last year, the Environment Commission had declared in no uncertain terms that current regulations and controls needed to be tightened up to ensure that health and environmental risks associated with fireworks were reduced to an acceptable level. “Furthermore we had provided a preliminary assessment on the impacts of fireworks on humans and on the natural environment. We had then made very specific recommendations on such matters.
“Unfortunately, most of the reactions to this opinion paper were focused more on environmental issues, such as pollution by noise, and less so on the need to protect human lives. There were also people who completely misunderstood this document and who accused the Commission that it wants a ban on the use of fireworks. In fact, very little concrete action was taken by the relevant authorities as a follow-up to our opinion paper.”
In the meantime, the commission continued its work in order to gather technical and scientific information on the basis of which it hopes that concrete action may be taken by the authorities for the better control of fireworks production and displays. “Over the past few months we continued to monitor noise levels, and other relevant environmental parameters in connection with six other selected village and town feasts in Malta. This time, we also focused on the potential release and subsequent fallout of air pollutants on soil etc. from fireworks displays.
“We hope to be in a position to publish such results some time in June 2008 (that is before the “feasts’ season” of 2008). As usual, we will then do our very best to use such reported facts in order to sensitise the authorities as well as public opinion, for some concrete actions.”
The Archbishop’s Curia said “the Church is always sad and bereaved when the production or letting off of fireworks cause loss of life or injuries. The life and well-being of the human person are priceless, and one should do one’s utmost to protect them. The family, friends and community of the victims have the Church’s full solidarity.
“Fireworks remain an integral part of the Maltese feast as we know it. Nonetheless, Church authorities and parish priests never cease to insist on the necessary legal and effective precautions, self-discipline, restraint and moderation regarding the production and letting-off of fireworks.”