Massive fireworks factory explosion rocks Malta, injuring two and shattering windows for miles
A powerful series of explosions at the Ta' Lourdes fireworks factory in northern Malta injured two men and caused widespread property damage early Monday morning, with the blasts heard and felt across a large part of the Mediterranean island.
The explosions
A devastating series of explosions ripped through the Ta' Lourdes fireworks factory in the Maghtab area of northern Malta around 6:30 a.m. local time on Monday. The first blast was followed shortly by a second, much more powerful explosion, and smaller detonations continued for several hours afterward. The force of the explosions shook buildings and shattered windows several kilometers away, sending a massive column of black smoke mixed with pyrotechnic debris roughly 300 meters into the air.
It seemed as if someone had taken a hammer the size of a truck and hit the side of my house.
Casualties and damage
Two men, aged 67 and 47, who were working in nearby agricultural fields at the time of the blast, suffered light injuries and were transported to Mater Dei Hospital in a state of shock. Police confirmed that no workers were inside the factory when the explosions occurred, as the first shift had not yet begun. The blasts also caused significant material damage to surrounding buildings, including shattered windows, damaged facades, and destroyed doors at a nearby guesthouse. Cars were also damaged. Authorities reported that livestock on nearby farms may have perished, but exact losses will only be assessed once the area is declared safe.
- First explosion occurs at the Ta' Lourdes fireworks factory in Maghtab, northern Malta.
- A second, much more powerful explosion follows the first blast.
- Emergency services including police, army, civil protection, and medical personnel are deployed to the scene.
- Two injured men are transported to Mater Dei Hospital with light injuries and shock.
- Smaller explosions continue to be heard hours after the initial blasts; residents evacuated.
Eyewitness accounts
Residents across the island described scenes of panic and confusion. One man walking his dogs in Kennedy Grove said the pressure wave made his hair move and caused all the trees around him to shake. "I have never been so scared in my life, for a moment I really thought we were being bombed," he told local media. Another resident reported feeling as though a bombardment was underway. The explosions were heard from many kilometers away, prompting a flood of calls to emergency services from people reporting trembling walls and breaking glass.
Official response
Prime Minister Robert Abela, whose Labour Party won an unprecedented fourth term in elections over the weekend, said his thoughts were with those affected. "The country's authorities immediately sent their representatives and personnel to provide assistance," he wrote on Facebook. Opposition leader Alex Borg thanked the security forces who responded to the incident, describing the explosion as something that "shocked the country." Police, the Civil Protection Department, the Armed Forces of Malta, and medical personnel were deployed to the scene. The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office advised against travel to the Maghtab area temporarily. Residents were evacuated and farmers were told they could not return to their animals until the site was deemed safe. A magisterial inquiry has been opened to determine the cause of the explosion.
