A petrol station in the middle of Siġġiewi’s main square was temporarily closed earlier this week following claims by neighbours that fuel had seeped into their homes’ underground infrastructure causing “unbearable fumes”.

The station, situated in Pjazza San Nikola, adjacent to a 16th century chapel, has occupied the space for decades, despite repeated complaints filed with the local council and the regulatory authorities that it should be moved outside the village core, in line with established policy.

Inspectors from the Regulator for Energy and Water Services (REWS) were on site on Friday, examining the subterranean tanks which store the station’s fuel.

Residents said the problem of foul smells coming from the petrol station has been going on for years.

“This week, the situation became unbearable as the odours have become intense, forcing us to close all our windows to avoid getting sick as much as possible,” a resident who lives in the square said.

Another concerned neighbour said: “We suspect that fuel is somehow seeping out of the petrol station’s underground tanks, as we are also finding fuel residues in our drainage systems and wells.”

When approached, one of the owners of the fuel station immediately acknowledged the problem and said they were trying to solve the issue together with the authorities concerned.

“We have been ordered to shut shop earlier this week to try to establish what is going on,” he said.

Owner agrees that fuel station should be moved outside of the village piazza

The owner said the problem does not appear to be coming from the petrol station but from a leakage of underground water pipes, which, somehow, also impacted the fuel tanks.

He said he expected the situation to be resolved soon and the station would be opened. According to a fuel stations policy issued by the PA in 2015, fuel stations in village cores had to be relocated to an area in the village outskirts.

However, villagers were taken aback when just a few months after the introduction of the policy, the PA approved a permit for the refurbishment of the petrol station and its underground tanks, without ordering its relocation.

The architect was Robert Musumeci, a former mayor of the locality, who had been appointed a consultant to the Prime Minister.

The PA justified the permit, even though it breached its own policy, on the back of approval obtained by the local council, stating that “for the time being, a relocation of the station was not possible as no alternative zone outside the village core was identified or available”.

The owner on Friday told Times of Malta that he agreed that the fuel station should be moved outside of the Siġġiewi village piazza and was trying to get the necessary green light from the authorities.