‘It was raining stones’: Racehorses injured after Salini fireworks blast

Two racehorses were injured when stones rained down and part of a structure collapsed during a blast at the Salini fireworks factory on Monday morning, about 300 metres from their paddock.

Etienne Farrugia, the owner of three racehorses, described how it “started raining stones” soon after he arrived at the paddock to feed the horses and take them out of their stables for the day.

Farrugia said that, as usual, he was at the stables – located about 300 metres from Lourdes Fireworks Factory – by 5.45am with his 25-year-old son.

He went to tend to his three racehorses, while his son checked on a friend’s horse  - Glowing Moko - in a nearby stable.

A vet examining Glowing Moko after he was pelted by the rain of stone.

After filling water and hay, Farrugia began taking the horses out into the enclosures. He had taken out two and was about to bring out the third – a horse called Love Your Choice – when the explosions began. It was about 6.30am.

“The structure rattled and, fearing it might collapse, I ran out. Outside, it was raining stones. I saw my son, who had just taken out our friend’s horse, Glowing Moko. My son was covering his head and running.

“We ran towards each other, then saw a van nearby and went underneath it for shelter. The van was pelted with rocks.”

Etienne Farrugia and his racehorse Love Your Choice on the Marsa track

When the blasts stopped, they went to check on the horses. Love Your Choice, which was still inside, suffered facial injuries when part of the structure fell onto him and required stitches.

The horse Glowing Moko, meanwhile, suffered injuries to his back ribs after being struck by falling stones. He struggled to walk and was crying in pain. All four horses developed a fever and stopped eating following the incident, he said.

“They suffered massive trauma. They are on medication and we are hopeful they will make a full recovery,” Farrugia said