Man dies in fireworks factory accident

A 40-year-old Qormi man was crushed to death by a press that he was cleaning at a fireworks factory yesterday, the police said.

Carmelo Cauchi, who was working at San Bastjan factory at Wied ic-Cawsli in Qormi, died on the spot.

The police said Mr Cauchi was not making fireworks but was simply cleaning the press when the accident happened.

A fireworks expert explained that the metal press is a kind of metal box with a series of holes in it and is used to make colour fireworks.

It is a relatively recent invention which speeds up the fireworks-making process.

The expert ruled out any possibility that the man was making fireworks as "all fireworks would have been used during the feast of St Sebastian which took place two weeks ago".

He said that immediately after the feast, fireworks factories are cleaned before fresh fireworks for the following year start being made a few weeks later.

Duty magistrate Joseph Cassar conducted an on-site enquiry, appointed a number of experts to draw up a report and ordered an autopsy. The Qormi district police are investigating.

Mr Cauchi is the third person to die in a fireworks factory in less than a month. On July 4, Antoine Cilia, 36, of Dingli, and Charles Farrugia, 59, of Zebbug, died when a blast ripped through the factory of St Joseph's De Rohan Band Club in Wied Qirda, Siggiewi.

Five others were injured in what was deemed to be one of the worst fireworks factory explosions in recent history.