‘We had everything and ended up with nothing’

A chipped, bronze-coloured frame holds a portrait that hangs in the hallway of the Bugeja family’s new home in Naxxar. “We changed the broken glass, but we kept the chipped frame as a reminder of that day,” says Edward Bugeja, as he points to the sketch of his eldest daughter, Rachel, who lived through the Naxxar fireworks explosion five years ago. “Rachel managed to survive the blast and this portrait of her is the only object inside the house that was not destroyed,” he adds. His was one of three houses that were completely gutted during the explosion in Ħal Dgħejf Street on March 12, 2008, a few days after the general election. It resulted in two deaths. One of the victims, 47-year-old Paul Camilleri, was in his garage where the explosion is believed to have occurred as a result of fireworks stored or manufactured there. On one side of Mr Camilleri’s home was the house of the second victim – 35-year-old Sina Sammut, who had taken her children, Gareth and Kirsty, to school before going shopping. She had just returned home when the blast happened. On the other side of Mr Camilleri’s residence was the Bugejas’ home. At the time the whole family was out except for Rachel, who was...