Gżira ironmongery fire extinguished after 'challenging' 18-hour operation
55 firefighters used 175,000 litres of water and 10,000 litres of firefighting foam to bring the blaze under control
A fire that broke out in an ironmongery in Gżira on Wednesday afternoon was finally extinguished on Thursday morning, 18 hours later.
The Civil Protection Department said crews were on site from 2.30pm on Wednesday through till 9am Thursday to control the fire, oversee cooling operations, extinguish any remaining hotspots and eliminate any risk of reignition.
As many as 55 firefighters were deployed and 175,000 litres of water and 10,000 litres of firefighting foam were used in the operation.
175,000 litres of water and 10,000 litres of firefighting foam were used in the operation. Photo: CPDNo injuries were reported but several cats and other animals were rescued.
The CPD said the operation was “particularly challenging” due to the wide variety of materials stored within the premises.
The fire affected both the ground floor retail area and the basement storage facility.
The incident was the third in a series of blazes on Wednesday. Earlier 10 people in Qawra were taken to hospital for smoke inhalation after an external airconditioning unit caught fire and in Birkirkara a car caught fire in a semi-basement garage.