A man was injured this afternoon after an explosion, likely to have been caused by a bomb, in a room in a field in Gharghur.
The explosion took place at 3pm in a room which forms part of a farmhouse in l-Isqof Gargallo Street.
The injured man, Kevin Ellul, aged 43, was taken to hospital in an ambulance after he was pulled out of the debris by members of the Civil protection Department and given first assistance by a medical team. The police said the man suffered serious injuries.
Ellul was previously known to police, sources said. According to some reports the police are looking for an individual who fled the scene.
It is understood that the injured man does not reside in Gharghur but was frequently seen at the farmhouse in the evenings.
A police source said that the explosion was triggered shortly after Ellul walked into the room.
Another man who was in the vicinity was unhurt.
Several cars which were parked in the area were damaged by the blast. One car had a dented driver side door and small holes that looked like they could have been caused by ball bearings or some other form of shrapnel. Another vehicle had a large hole in its windscreen. Wooden debris, possibly from the front door, was strewn around the street.
People who live in the area close to the blast were temporarily evacuated.
Members of the Armed Forces of Malta’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit examined the scene. A number of other police officers and crime scene investigators also scoured the area.
Magistrate Audrey Demicoli (below, right) is leading an inquiry.
Photos/video Michael Camilleri