Fires at Astra Theatre, Lunzjata chapel

Plans to end Gozo's Mediterranea festival with a big bang literally went up in smoke yesterday after flames ravaged the 35-year-old Astra Theatre in Republic Street, Victoria.

Despite the damage which, it is estimated, could run up to several thousand liri, festival organisers decided the show must go on and shifted last night's grand gala concert to St George's Basilica.

The fire came just a few hours after another blaze engulfed the sacristy of the chapel of Our Lady of the Annunciation in Lunzjata Valley, limits of Kercem.

Nobody was injured in the two incidents and it is believed both fires were the result of short circuits.

The fire at the Astra Theatre started at about 10.15 a.m. when the organisers were making last-minute preparations for the grand gala concert ending the 10-day Mediterranea festival.

It appears that the fire started in the main switchboard located on the stage, with flames engulfing the theatre's stage, the organisers said.

The fire spread quickly, destroying the ceiling over the stage, which was made of wood and Jablo, leaving a gaping hole and a stage exposed to the open skies.

Fortunately, the flames did not spread further and the stalls were not damaged, with the exception of the front row.

Nobody was on the stage at the time of the incident as sound technicians had moved to the other end of the theatre.

Civil Protection Department director Peter Cordina ruled out arson and confirmed that in all probability a short circuit caused the incident.

Three fire engines were on site within minutes of the blaze being spotted (the fire station is right round the corner), and three other fire engines and 12 firemen were dispatched to Gozo from Malta.

"We had the full co-operation of the Gozo Channel, who had to ask a number of passengers to get their vehicles off the ferry to make way for the fire engines," Mr Cordina said.

A number of firemen also crossed over to Gozo in the department's dinghies to ensure that no minute was wasted in trying to save the theatre.

"The first instinct was to pray fervently for the fire to stop - prayer came before calling a fire engine," an eyewitness said as he watched the firemen extinguish the flames.

Mr Cordina said the fire was brought completely under control by 11.30 a.m. and his men had been extra careful not to douse the theatre unnecessarily with water to minimise the damage.

The organisers, who were expecting about 600 to 800 people to attend the grand gala concert, were initially thinking of cancelling the event, but then they decided to go ahead.

The Prime Minister, Dr Fenech Adami, who attended the concert, was last night taken on site by the organisers to witness the extent of the damage. The Speaker, Anton Tabone, and Gozo Minister Giovanna Debono, also visited the site.

Magistrate Paul Coppini held an inquiry and appointed several experts to help him draw up reports. Victoria district police are investigating.

Meanwhile, in the second unrelated incident, the blaze in the chapel's sacristy in Lunzjata Valley went unnoticed until the priest in charge found the charred remains in the morning.

The ceiling of the sacristy's ground floor collapsed after the wooden beams supporting it were reduced to charcoal, while all the priest's robes, furniture and the ancient damask used for the chapel's feast were destroyed - the cost of the damage has not yet been estimated.

Witnesses believe that when the ceiling collapsed it extinguished the flames, preventing the fire from spreading into the chapel.

Though soot blackened the walls and benches, the chapel remained intact. Luckily the titular painting is being restored in Marsa so it was spared any damage.

The present chapel in Lunzjata was rebuilt in the early 16th century. In 1370 the chapel became part of a royal benefice administered by the Aragonese king from Sicily and later by the Grand Master of the Order of St John in Malta.

The main altarpiece was painted by Fra Lucas Garnier and it is the only painting by this artist in Gozo. It is also one of the very few existing in Malta. This replaced an earlier painting by Bartolomeo Garagona (1584-1614).

The chapel still retains some features typical of late medieval chapels.