A fire broke out on a large ship docked in Marsa on Friday evening, sending thick plumes of "toxic" black smoke into the air. 

Police said the incident happened at around 6pm but that no injuries were reported.

An onlooker said the air was "thick with smoke and there were some noises that sounded like explosions".

Images captured of the incident show firefighters tackling the blaze onboard the vessel which Mediterranean Maritime Hub (MMH) executive chairperson Angelique Abela confirmed was 43 metres in length.

"It's a fibreglass vessel and the fire is contained to the vessel itself. We do not know how it happened but we know there was no casualties as nobody was on the vessel. No works were being carried out," said Abela.

Contacted by Times of Malta, a spokesperson for the Home Affairs Ministry said the civil protection department was having difficulty containing the fire as it had spread close to the vessel's engine room, describing the fumes from the blaze as "very toxic" due to the burning fibreglass.

When contacted, Superintendent of Public Health Charmaine Gauci said all residents were "strongly advised" to stay indoors and keep all windows and doors closed as a precautionary measure. 

In a statement, the health department said anyone experiencing symptoms such as difficulty breathing, persistent cough, or chest pain should seek immediate medical attention.

In a Facebook post earlier on Friday evening, Home Affairs minister Byron Camilleri said the fire developed in a ship that was set up for repair in a private shipyard in Marsa.

“Firefighters from the Civil Protection are on the scene to control the fire. I have been informed that there are no reports of injured people,”he said, asking the public to avoid the area.