maltatoday | SUNDAY • 5 JUNE 2022
3
NEWS
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BRAND
NEW!
Airport
Food
Court
NOW OPEN
LUKE VELLA
ELEVEN people were inside or
near the 15 August Mosta fire-
works factory in Dwejra when
it exploded this afternoon at
3:20pm, but there were no fa-
talities.
Police units, ambulances and
the Civil Protection Depart-
ment rushed to the scene, as
the factory explosion was wit-
nessed from across the island,
a large plume of smoke rising
skywards from what is one of
Malta's highest points.
Witnesses said they had heard
the explosion from as far as the
capital city. "Even from Vallet-
ta it sounded like a plane had
just crashed on the street," said
Valletta resident Martin Galea
de Giovanni on Facebook.
Home affairs minister Byron
Camilleri confirmed that three
people had suffered light inju-
ries in the ensuing explosion.
Crowds descended onto the
Mgarr main road on the way
up to Dwejra, with friends and
relatives waiting for news from
the people inside the factory.
One of the relatives, whose
brother was inside the facto-
ry, told MaltaToday she had
communicated with him, and
that they had not been injured
in the explosion. A magisterial
inquiry is now underway.
Nationalist Party leader Ber-
nard Grech and deputy leader
David Agius are on site, speak-
ing to fellow Mosta residents.
lvella@mediatoday.com.mt
After the first explosion at 3:20pm, yet
more explosions from the fireworks
stock in the 15 August factory could
be witnessed. Photo: Luke Vella
Three suffer
light injuries
in Mosta
fireworks
factory
explosion
11 inside factory
escape relatively
unscathed in 15
August factory
explosion
