Fireworks maker badly injured

A 52-year-old Mqabba man was seriously injured but is not in danger of dying after he suffered burns while manufacturing fireworks in Qrendi, the police said.

This was the latest in a series of fireworks accidents over the past months.

Robert Farrugia, 58, known as Robbie of Balzan died on September 14 when a mixture of explosives he was handling blew up in his hands.

The Gharb fireworks factory was razed to the ground by a violent explosion on the night of August 19. The explosion shook Gozo, damaging houses in a residential area some distance away. Nobody was on site when the blast occurred.

Carmelo Cauchi, 40, of Qormi was crushed to death by a press he was cleaning at the St Sebastian factory in Wied ic-Cawsli, Qormi on July 26.

Antoine Cilia, 36, of Dingli, and Charles Farrugia, 59, of Zebbug died on July 5 when blasts ripped through the factory of St Joseph's De Rohan Band Club in Wied Qirda, Siggiewi. Joe Zammit, 38, who had suffered serious burns and fractures in the same incident died in hospital six weeks later.