After shutting down the illegal high explosives store in the Armed Forces of Malta base in Nadur, Gozo, the Office of the Prime Minister is considering erecting a new magazine on the same site despite the safety hazards in the area.
Officially, the Defence Directorate at the prime minister’s office is still evaluating what to do after it had to close down the Gozo store and move all the explosives to Fort Mosta in the wake of MaltaToday’s reporting about the site.
But sources say that despite the army’s shooting range in Nadur and the radar equipment on site, posing clear safety threats to any explosives cache that could be placed there, the directorate is still considering rebuilding a store “according to international standards” on the same site.
Last month, a spokesman at the office of the prime minister said: “A new facility will be purposely built according to international safety standards. The location has yet to be determined.”
The prime minister had ordered AFM to conduct “a full review” of the situation at Nadur and to submit recommendations after MaltaToday exposed the potentially catastrophic conditions there.
Tons of high explosives were stored there near manned AFM facilities, public roads, cultivated land and residences on the outskirts of Nadur, despite clear warnings of impending catastrophe a decade ago.
The area is used as an army training camp where live ammunition is fired by soldiers in their exercises. The soldiers’ quarters and guard room are also situated very close to the garage, together with radar facilities which are considered a safety hazard when located next to explosives.

kschembri@mediatoday.com.mt