Watch: Dingli quarry fire extinguished after more than three hours

Updated 5.13pm

A fire that broke out at a quarry in Dingli on Saturday afternoon was extinguised over three hours later, with no injuries reported.

The Civil Protection Department (CPD) arrived on site shortly after 1:30pm at the quarry in Dingli, which they said was filled with large amounts of rubbish.

Sources told Times of Malta that the quarry contained tyres, asbestos and other hazardous materials. 

The CPD urged residents in Dingli and neighbouring towns including Rabat to keep all doors and windows closed due to smoke and fumes. 

It also urged people to avoid the area.

The quarry is understood to contain tyres, asbestos and other hazardous material. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier

"Further updates will be issued through the official channels of the Civil Protection Malta," the CPD said. 

Footage sent to Times of Malta and taken from a distance showed large plumes of black smoke rising from the site.

A CPD spokesperson confirmed that thick black smoke was coming from the quarry.

The cause of the fire remains unknown.

By 4pm, the fire was still raging but a CPD spokesperson told Times of Malta it was "under control". 

The fire in Dingli seen from Żebbuġ. Photo: Anon

Just after 5pm, the CPD said the fire had been "successfully extinguished and the situation was now under control".

The CPD said the operation required 190,000 litres of water and 5,000 litres of foam.

As many as 34 firefighters and six senior fire officers were on site during the response effort which involved 14 fire appliances.