A man was seriously injured this morning when the car he was driving was blown up in an explosion in Msida, the police have confirmed.
The accident happened in Marina Street at around 10.30am. The Renault Megane Scenic the man was driving ended up in a ball of fire.
The man, Romeo Bone, from Floriana, aged 40, was taken to hosiptal for treatment, and his condition is as yet unknown. Eyewitnesses said the man, who is known to the police, was seriously injured and that he had lost both his legs due to the blast.
A Kia Ceres and a Ford Focus were also damaged in the blast, the police said. Five other persons were taken to hospital for treatment after being slightly injured or suffered shock.
Police were on site and a massive traffic jam piled up in the area for a long period of time.
The accident happened in one of Malta's main thoroughfares, Msida Valley, which is notorious for traffic congestion. The closing of the stretch caused a long queue of cars at either end, and other areas drivers tried to use to avoid Msida quickly ended up heavily jammed.
People were shocked that the bomb went off in a busy road at a time when the area is busy in terms of traffic. It must also be pointed out that many students attending the Sixth Form at Msida cross this road during every school morning.
This is the second car bomb explosion this year. In January this year, a 61-year-old man from Hamrun died after a bomb attached to his car took off in Marsa. The victim was Victor Calleja, also known as Ic-Chippu.
Last year, three car bomb incidents were recorded. In January, a man died when a bomb went off in his car in Marsascala. A second car bomb severely injured a man in Marsa in September, while a 67-year-old was killed in October in Bugibba.
One lane on Marina Street in the direction heading towards Msida from Valletta remains closed. If possible avoid the route as it is experiencing heavy traffic.
Photos Jonathan Borg
Latest car bomb is proof of danger in which we are living - PN
According to the Nationalist Party, the latest car bomb incident is proof of the danger in which Maltese families are living in. A statement issued by Deputy Leader of the PN Beppe Fenech Adami, explained how this is only the latest in series of car bombs which occurred in recent months.
"The lack of proper security is a result of the government's corruption and of a police force being led by a puppet-commissioner who was only appointed to do the job because he has no intention of investigating Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri. How can the police commissioner solve such cases if his only interest is to help hide for Joseph Muscat's sake?"
"It is useless for the police to issue a statement after every car bomb saying the victim is known to police. This solves absolutely nothings," Dr Fenech Adami added while insisting that the police force requires serious leadership.