‘I thought it was the end’: Injured farmer recounts terror of fireworks blast

A farmer who was in a field neighbouring the fireworks factory that exploded on Monday morning, has recounted how he took shelter in a small room that then collapsed all around him.

"I thought it was the end of the world for me. I thought that was it - I was going to die,” said 67-year-old Victor Camilleri.

He was one of two people hospitalised following the massive blast at the Lourdes Fireworks Factory in Salina at about 6.30am on Monday. His 47-year-old son was treated for shock.

A number of animals in nearby farms and at the Bird Park were killed or injured, while property in the vicinity was damaged.

Camilleri was in the heart of it all.

By 5.45am, he was tending to his field near the factory when, shortly afterwards, he saw a cloud of smoke followed by an explosion. Sensing that more blasts could follow, he rushed into a room measuring about 15 by 10 feet, located around 50 metres from the factory.

What followed were “terrifying scenes”.

I thought that was it, I was going to die,” said Victor Camilleri.

“Since I was inside the room in the field - which is stepped on lower ground than the factory - it initially did not hit me as badly,” he said. But about four minutes after the initial blast, the major explosions began.

“There was a strong smell of fireworks. The room I was in collapsed around me. One beam snapped in half, but a central beam remained intact - saving my life,” he said.

The purple circle shows the room where the farmer sheltered, close to the site of the fireworks factory. The green marks his van.

Meanwhile, his two sons, who run a nearby chicken farm, rushed to check on him after hearing the first blast. When the larger explosion occurred, they took shelter behind a wall. None were seriously injured.

Camilleri said he suffered injuries to his leg as the room collapsed, as well as additional scratches to his legs later.

His sons helped him out of the debris. Police, civil protection officers and ambulance crews later arrived on site, and he was treated for his injuries.

"These firework factories are very dangerous for farmers. They need an area for them, far from places where they can endanger people's lives,"  he insisted.