A fire at the Magħtab waste facility has sent a dense plume of black smoke into the sky, visible across several areas of Malta. Residents in the vicinity were asked to close doors and windows.

The blaze was reported at around 11:35am on Wednesday, with a spokesperson confirming that Civil Protection firefighters were dispatched to the scene.

The blaze started within a confined section of the site. No workers were injured, and there have been no reports of damage to the facility.

Emergency responders remain on site as the situation is being handled.

In a statement on Facebook, the CPD said emergency response operations are ongoing and the situation is being monitored closely by the relevant authorities.

Residents in nearby localities, including Bugibba, St Paul's Bay, Salini, and Qawra, are advised to keep all doors and windows closed as a precaution due to smoke and fumes in the area. 

In a statement on Thursday, WasteSev said a flash fire, which spread within seconds as a result of a strong vortex of air, caused Tuesday's incident at WasteServ's Magħtab landfill.

The fire broke out in a contained area of the facility just after 11:30 am, and CCTV footage WasteServ is releasing shows how quickly the situation developed.

The fire was contained within a short span of time following the prompt and coordinated response of the Civil Protection Department and WasteServ employees. However, strong winds that changed direction countless times continued to pose challenges, with firefighters remaining on site until the early morning hours until the affected area was completely covered with graded inert material.

Thanks to the swift action taken by all those involved, no employees were injured, and no damage was sustained to WasteServ's waste processing facilities, the company said.

The affected area was secured and monitored throughout the incident and in the hours that followed.

WasteServ thanked the dedicated CPD responders for their rapid and professional response, the various contractors who assisted by providing requested materials, and its employees for their extreme dedication and commitment during the incident.

"Events like this continue to highlight the importance of proper waste disposal, how flammable materials such as batteries, even if small, should never be disposed of in the black bag.

"This is also a stark reminder of the urgent need to move away from landfilling," Wasteserve said.