A deafening explosion followed by a towering plume of smoke shattered the calm in a rural area between Ercolano and San Giorgio a Cremano, near Mount Vesuvius. The source: an unlicensed firework assembly depot, hastily set up for the upcoming New Year’s celebrations. Three young lives were lost in the blast, their identities tentatively identified as an 18-year-old man and two 26-year-old twin sisters. “We were called by the police,” recounts Anna Campagna, a relative of one of the victims. “It was their first day at work. My son-in-law had called at lunchtime to say he was eating with the two girls. That was the last time I heard from him.”
Initial investigations revealed that the victims were inexperienced workers recruited for the occasion. The explosion, which occurred shortly after lunch, is suspected to have been triggered by the improper handling of the large stockpile of fireworks. The makeshift facility, operational for only a few days, lacked any official authorization. “The site was opened over the weekend, and today was their first real day of work,” adds Campagna, who expressed heartbreak at the sudden and preventable loss.
Ciro Buonajuto, the mayor of Ercolano, described the aftermath as a scene of devastation. “What breaks my heart is that young lives were lost this way,” he said, emphasizing the need for stronger adherence to safety regulations. “We must teach our youth that the only path to success is through legality and respect for the rules. Only then can we prevent such tragedies in the future.” Local authorities have launched a formal investigation to determine responsibility for the unauthorized operation and its deadly consequences.
