[kellyhound]

A massive industrial explosion shattered windows, destroyed local farms, and hospitalized three individuals in northern Malta early Monday morning.

The incident took place around 6:30 AM local time on June 1, 2026, at the rural Ta' Lourdes Fireworks Factory on Triq il-Qadi, located in the Salina–Magħtab area near Naxxar.

A small fire quickly escalated into a sequence of four total detonations. The secondary blast erupted into a massive fireball and unleashed a powerful atmospheric shockwave.

The thunderous roar was heard and felt across the entire island, with residents as far away as St. Julian's and Balzan reporting that entire buildings shook.

Boulders, stones, and heavy debris rained down onto adjacent roads and properties. The shockwave shattered glass windows, pulled curtains outwards, and broke building apertures in surrounding towns. Guests at a nearby hotel were showered with shattered glass.

Pyrotechnics trapped in the facility continued to randomly explode for hours after the main event, creating ongoing hazards for responders.

Because the explosion occurred early on a weekday morning, no licensed pyrotechnicians or factory workers were inside the facility, preventing what authorities noted could have been a catastrophic loss of human life.

Three individuals, consisting of two local farmers (aged 47 and 67) and an passing food courier were hospitalized. They were treated for shock and minor physical injuries.

The Malta Youth in Agriculture Foundation confirmed that several dairy cows, rabbits, and birds were killed instantly by the blast.

[Mr.NoCredit]

Wow! That’s one helluva huge explosion. Sorry to hear so many animals died.

[Mecrupulent]

At 38 seconds, he says "vagina"