Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1545385
3 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 14 JUNE 2026 NEWS CONTINUES FROM PAGE 1 The planning application was presented by architect Roderick Camilleri on behalf of Francis Xuereb, president of the Għaq- da Piroteknika 11 ta' Frar San Ġwann. The application was granted the consent of the Lands Au- thority since the factory is locat- ed on public land. The application was originally submitted after a room was de- stroyed in a fireworks explosion within the same complex in 2018. In that accident, two people were seriously injured, one of whom later died from his injuries. Initially, the application was limited to roofing over "an ex- isting fireworks workshop" that had been destroyed in the 2018 explosion. However, following an assessment by the technical committee, it was transformed into an application aimed at reg- ularising the entire complex and ensuring compliance with safety regulations. Safety committee's recommendations Following more than six years of deliberations, interrupted by the pandemic, which delayed on- site inspections, the committee approved a number of changes to the layout of the fireworks fac- tory, including the construction of four additional rooms and an underground water reservoir. The four new rooms approved last year included one dedi- cated to black powder storage, another serving as a workshop for black powder granulation, a third for the storage of potassi- um perchlorate, and a fourth for fuel storage. The layout of these rooms was intended to "mini- mise and mitigate the hazards related to contamination of ex- plosives and/or precursors dur- ing the different manufacturing processes". The technical committee also recommended that four exist- ing workshops each be equipped with a container for the collec- tion of foul water used during washing operations. This meas- ure was intended to eliminate "the chance of a premature ex- plosion" in the area where water is discarded. The committee warned that ex- plosions could be caused by resi- dues present in discarded water, noting that when the water dries, "residues will precipitate and crystallize", creating conditions that could trigger an explosion in the event of a fire. The committee also agreed that the complex required a new wa- ter reservoir with a minimum capacity of 120,000 litres, noting the absence of Water Services Corporation hydrants in the ar- ea, which limited the availability of water. Moreover, the committee im- posed a number of conditions, including keeping the blast walls surrounding the three main stores free from explosives, inert materials, equipment and tools. Conditions imposed by the committee included one stipu- lating that all personnel licensed to manufacture and assist in the factory, must have good knowl- edge of fire prevention aware- ness, firefighting skills and the use of equipment. The committee issued its final recommendations in February 2024. This was followed by ap- proval by the Planning Authority in June 2025. The approval was subject to a sanctioning fine of €7,984. Works were set to commence following final clearance from the BCA, which was issued just days before the explosion. The factory exploded in spec- tacular fashion on 1 June. No- body was inside the complex at the time of the blast but two men, who had been in nearby fields were injured. More than 300 police reports of damage to private property and agricultural holdings caused by the explosion have since been filed. Magistrate Joe Mifsud is leading an inquiry with the investigation having in- tensified over the past few days. Safety committee's recommendations had yet to be implemented 26 May 2018: A massive series of blasts tears through the Lourdes Fireworks Factory, leaving two men seriously injured, one of whom later dies from his injuries. 5 December 2018: An application to roof over "an existing fireworks workshop" is submitted by Francis Xuereb, president of the Għaqda Piroteknika 11 ta' Frar San Ġwann that operates the factory. 9 January 2019: The technical committee assessing the safety aspects of the application orders the applicant to amend it into one aimed at upgrading and sanctioning the entire complex. May 2022: An on- site inspection of the fireworks complex is carried out by members of the technical committee. 15 February 2024: Technical committee approves new layout for the factory, including the construction of a reservoir and four new rooms, subject to stringent conditions. 22 May 2024: The application is issued for public consultation. 18 June 2025: Planning Authority approves the application. 21 May 2026: Building and Construction Authority issues a permit for the commencement of works. TIMELINE The committee warned that explosions could be caused by residues present in discarded water isolated case of weak rock that is highly vulner- able to marine erosion. Over time, wave action has eaten away at a fragile layer at the base of the cliff. As that lower section receded, the rock above it was left without sup- port, producing the large crack visible today. The crack, he said, is not alone. Several other fractures run along the same cliff face. Geologists study these to predict potential rock failures, a complex task that requires detailed geological as- sessment. The problem, according to Gatt, extends well beyond Delimara. He explained that much of Mal- ta's coastline is made up of frag- ile Globigerina limestone and clay, heavily fractured into blocks rather than solid rock, with fault lines especially vulnerable to the elements. During Storm Har- ry, he said, significant erosion of fault material was recorded at both Għar Lapsi and the Chalet in Sliema. With severe storms pre- dicted to increase, he warned that Malta faces a growing risk of mas- sive coastal erosion that threatens critical infrastructure, a crisis the country remains largely unpre- pared for. Gatt insisted that fractures like the one at St Peter's Pool can be monitored effectively using spe- cialised techniques and geological modelling. Geologists can predict the potential for rock failure and a national geological service, he argued, would produce coastal hazard maps for the entire archi- pelago. But Malta does not legally rec- ognise the geological profession, a gap he said allows unqualified in- dividuals to carry out assessments they are not fit to make. He called on Malta to follow Italy, Greece and Spain in officially recognising geologists. Malta, he said, remains the on- ly country in Europe without a national geological service, even when compared with other small states such as Luxembourg and Cyprus. Without one, Gatt said, the state has no qualified person- nel to carry out long-term mon- itoring of coastal sites. But the chamber's appeals "continue to fall on deaf ears". The consequences, he argued, are already being felt. In 2024, 22-year-old Mirabelle Falzon was killed by falling rocks at Munxar, near St Thomas Bay in Marsaska- la. Gatt described the absence of a geological service as proof of sys- temic failure. "Until this changes, such tragedies will continue, and the public will bear the conse- quences," he said. Debris from the blast (top) and Magistrate Joe Mifsud speaking to forensic and explosive experts on the site of the explosion (below) (Photo: James Bianchi/MaltaToday)