‘Speculation damages farmers’ – Brian Vella as concerns grow over agricultural impact of explosion

The Malta Food Agency says it is closely monitoring the aftermath of yesterday’s fireworks factory explosion as concerns continue to circulate online about the potential impact on agricultural land and food production in the surrounding area.

The explosion at the Lourdes Fireworks Factory in Magħtab caused significant damage to nearby properties and sparked widespread discussion on social media, with some users expressing fears that chemicals released during the blast could contaminate soil and eventually affect locally grown food products.

At this stage, however, the extent of any environmental impact on agricultural land has not been confirmed.

Commenting to MaltaCEOs.mt, Malta Food Agency CEO Brian Vella said the agency immediately contacted the Food Safety and Security Authority (FSSA) following the incident.

"The Malta Food Agency immediately made contact with FSSA – The Food Safety and Security Authority, who are watching the situation closely. We are expecting to hear from them shortly," he said.

"We assure consumers that we are closely monitoring the situation and any updates."

Mr Vella also warned against speculation before official assessments have been completed, noting that unverified claims can have serious consequences for Malta's agricultural sector.

"It's without a doubt that every speculation on social media doesn't help and does damage to farmers," he said, adding that the FSSA has been assisting those affected since the incident occurred.

The comments follow a Facebook post in which Mr Vella reflected on the wider impact of the explosion. While stating that he was not entering into the debate surrounding the fireworks industry's right to operate, he argued that the incident should not simply be dismissed because no fatalities occurred.

"The scenes were frightening and traumatic," he wrote, noting the impact on nearby residents, elderly people, the environment and animals in the area.

Mr Vella also raised questions about whether current regulations should permit such quantities of explosives to be stored under a single roof.

He added that Malta should learn from the incident, warning that the consequences could have been far worse.

"As a country we need to learn from what happened because it could have been more serious and it left a scar on all those affected," he said.

Authorities have yet to publish any findings regarding potential contamination of nearby agricultural land, crops or livestock. Until official assessments are completed, the Malta Food Agency says it will continue monitoring developments and communicating any updates to the public.