A powerful blast ripped through a fireworks factory in Malta, leaving two men requiring hospital treatment and prompting the UK Foreign Office to issue an urgent warning to British travellers.
The explosion occurred at Ta' Lourdes fireworks factory in Malta's Magħtab region earlier today at approximately 6.30am local time.
Both casualties, aged 67 and 47, sustained minor injuries after being caught in nearby fields when the blast struck.
Neither man worked at the facility, and police confirmed no licensed factory employees were present at the time.
The Foreign Office advised Britons to avoid the Magħtab/Mosta area whilst emergency services remain active, urging visitors to heed local authority guidance.
A dog walker in Kennedy Grove provided a harrowing account of the incident, describing an initial bang followed by three further explosions in rapid succession, roughly five minutes later.
The witness told local media: "The blasts were so powerful I actually felt my hair move from the pressure wave, and all the trees around us shook.
"My dogs completely lost it. I've never been so scared in my life for a moment I genuinely thought we were being bombed."
A powerful blast ripped through a fireworks factory in Malta
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Residents across multiple localities reported hearing the detonation from several kilometres away, with many describing how the shockwave rattled buildings throughout the island.
The witness observed smashed windows and façade material torn from nearby structures.
Malta's Prime Minister Robert Abela expressed concern for those affected and confirmed Government officials and emergency personnel had been dispatched to the scene immediately.
Opposition leader Alex Borg expressed gratitude to security forces operating in the Salini area.
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Two men required hospital treatment
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He described the incident as one that had "shocked the country" and extended his sympathies to all those affected by the explosion.
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, herself Maltese, described being deeply affected by a blast that had "shocked our country."
She paid particular tribute to Civil Protection teams and all responders working "in these difficult circumstances".
The blast claimed the lives of numerous animals in the surrounding agricultural area, with birds, rabbits and dairy cows all being killed.
UK Foreign Office issued an urgent warning to British travellers
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Local farmers and breeders reported significant structural damage to their properties.
Malta's Animal Welfare Directorate mobilised its teams to the explosion site this morning, positioning resources to assist any surviving animals once conditions permitted safe access.
The directorate acknowledged the wider impact on injured individuals, nearby residents, workers and the farming community.
It cautioned other services may face minor delays as the majority of its personnel focused on responding to what it termed an urgent situation.
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