Gżira residents temporarily evacuated their houses on Triq Charles de Brocktorff when a grass fire erupted in an unbuilt plot between two buildings.

Clouds of smoke filled the streets in the area on Monday at around 4pm causing a nearby supermarket to close its doors.

Firefighters rushed to the site and the fire is believed to have been brought under control by around 4.30pm, with residents reporting that smoke in the surrounding streets had died down considerably by then.

No injuries had been reported at the time of writing.

Monday was a busy day for the Civil Protection Department (CPD) after a fire earlier sent crews rushing to the aid of construction workers who attempted to tackle a blaze at the Preluna Hotel in Sliema.