Three scrapyard fires in six months: Engineers urge mandatory inspections
Such fires cause toxic fumes and fall-out particles detrimental to public health
Engineers on Monday called for stronger regulation and mandatory engineering inspections of scrapyards following three fires in six months that took hours to put out.
The first fire, which broke out on November 12 at a scrapyard on the outskirts of Għaxaq, had lasted some 16 hours. It took 97 firefighters and 1.2 million litres of water to put out the fierce flames.
Times of Malta later reported that the scrapyard was under an active stop-and-compliance order due to its failure to install fire hydrants.
A few days later, a fire at a Marsa scrapyard raged on for at least five hours, closing roads and forcing businesses to send workers home. It transpired that the same scrapyard had been engulfed in a similar, massive, raging fire four years previously and had been warned about a long list of environmental infringements.
Times of Malta then reported that the environment watchdog had warned the scrapyard operator to clear excessive waste and properly depollute and dismantle vehicles just one month before.
The latest industrial fire - on April 24 - tore through another scrapyard, this time in Kirkop, on the edge of Mqabba. It also took some five hours to be brought under control.
On Monday, the Chamber of Engineers said the recurring cases pointed to a systemic shortfall in the regulation, monitoring, and technical risk assessments of high‑risk industrial sites.
Such fires, it added, caused toxic fumes and fall-out particles that were very detrimental to public health both in the immediate and also in the long-term.
Given the significant public‑safety risks demonstrated by these incidents, the CoE called for stronger regulation and technical risk assessments of scrapyards and similar high‑risk facilities.
It believes that clearer licensing requirements, elevated operational standards, and mandatory compliance obligations are essential to reduce such fire hazards and safeguard surrounding communities.
Such premises should also be subject to annual fire risk assessments and annual, formally documented technical inspections signed off by a warranted engineer, ensuring that fire‑safety systems, scrap storage practices, electrical installations, flammable fluid installations and risk‑mitigation measures meet established standards, it added.
"Furthermore, regulatory authorities must reinforce monitoring and enforcement to ensure that these inspections are carried out annually and that any non‑compliance is addressed promptly and effectively.
"As a country, we cannot rely solely on emergency response, which may come with risks to the associated personnel. Prevention must be embedded within the system through proper engineering risk assessments and a robust regulatory framework."
The chamber commended the emergency responders for their work in managing the fires and the sustained, coordinated efforts of the authorities overseeing the situation.