Was government negligence to blame for deadly fireworks explosion in Jordan?
Jordanian politicians and analysts are blaming poor government performance for the explosion in Amman’s Customs Department that killed seven.
AMMAN, Jordan — Jordanians are accusing the government of gross negligence following a lethal explosion. On Oct. 26, two containers containing illegal fireworks exploded in Amman’s Customs Department, killing seven and injuring 13. The tragedy attracted significant media coverage in Cairo, as five of the casualties were Egyptian.
Energy and Mineral Resource Minister and acting Finance Minister Ibrahim Saif told a special parliamentary panel on Oct. 28 that the government takes “full responsibility” for the explosion, calling the incident a “grave mistake.”
In an interview with Al-Monitor, veteran parliament member Jamil Nimri cited multiple government failures that led to the deaths. Supporting the government’s decision to force Customs Director Munther Assaf into retirement on Nov. 1, Nimri added, “The casualties could have been prevented.”
“It was illegal for this firework material to enter the country,” Mustafa Rawashdeh, parliament member and chairman of the Integrity and Transparency Committee, told Al-Monitor. “Even if someone else brought in the fireworks, the government is the head of the state, and the entry of any unpermitted goods is illegal. So how did it pass through the port of Aqaba? All of these stages are the government’s responsibility.”
