Two persons were killed and at least three others injured in Malta on Wednesday, when an explosion ripped through a residential garage which was storing fireworks illegally, police said, according to dpa. The tranquil village of Naxxar was jolted late in the morning, as the blast of the fireworks demolished three private residences. The two victims are a 57-year-old man who is believed to have stored the explosives, and a 35-year-old mother of two, who lived in the neighbouring residence. Rescuers are still searching the rubble to try to establish if there are any other victims. Hours after the explosion, fireworks could still be seen erupting from the wreckage of the garage. A house across the street was also badly damaged by a fire, as were some nearby cars. A witness said she saw a van being blown right across the street and smashing into a building with the force of the blast. Luckily, two adjacent garages also used as storage for fireworks failed to ignite. Fireworks incidents on the island of Malta are not uncommon, though these are normally reserved for factories in the countryside. Maltese Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi was among those who rushed to the scene. At the time of the explosion, Gonzi was busy mapping out his new Cabinet, three days after winning a general election. dpa
