Overview
- A powerful blast at the Ta' Lourdes fireworks factory near Magħtab/Naxxar sent a huge fireball and a dense smoke plume into the sky and caused shockwaves that shattered windows and damaged buildings.
- Two men working in nearby fields were treated for minor injuries and taken to hospital while police said no factory workers were on site at the time of the explosion.
- Police, medical teams and civil protection units sealed off the area and asked the public to stay away as emergency crews stayed on scene to secure hazards.
- Local farms reported damage to outbuildings and injury or death of livestock, adding an immediate economic and community impact beyond structural damage.
- Authorities have opened an investigation into the cause and safety of stored pyrotechnic materials, and officials noted the site previously recorded an explosion in 2018 as investigators gather evidence.