An explosion tore through a fireworks factory in Malta this afternoon, leaving a scene of devastation and multiple casualties feared. Sources on the ground confirm that emergency services are combing through the wreckage of the facility in the town of Mosta, where the blast was heard across the island. The cause of the explosion remains unclear, but documents obtained by this journalist indicate the factory had a history of safety violations and was under investigation for illegal storage of pyrotechnic materials.
Local police have cordoned off the area, and hospitals in Valletta are on high alert. A government spokesperson declined to comment, but a source close to the investigation told me that the death toll could be significant. This is a developing story.
I will be following the money and the bodies.
