It took 30 firefighters, 10 fire trucks and a firefighting sea vessel several hours to put out a massive fire that broke out on a ship at a Marsa shipyard on Friday evening.

Firefighters put out the flames in the early hours of Saturday morning by filling the ship with foam, the Civil Protection Department said on Saturday.

The fire spread rapidly throughout the 43m-long fibreglass vessel, spewing toxic fumes into the air and across large swathes of the island. Health authorities advised residents to close windows and remain indoors to avoid inhaling the smoke.

The ship was docked at the Mediterranean Maritime Hub (MMH) at the time. It remains unclear what sparked the fire.  

Nobody was injured in the incident.

Fire breaks out at Wied Fulija

It was a busy night for CPD firefighters, who were also called to put out a fire that spread across Żurrieq’s Wied Fulija.

In all, roughly two football pitches’ worth of grass was burnt as a result.

A magistrate has ordered an inquiry into the Wied Fulija fire.

Firefighters were also called to put out grass fires on the limits of San Ġwann.

In a statement, the CPD urged people to be careful when in the countryside and to be mindful of the way in which fire can rapidly spread in summer, with dry vegetation and wind.