Two fireworks enthusiasts had a lucky escape this morning when a section of a fireworks factory blew up.

The two men were working at St Joseph fireworks factory between Kirkop and Zurrieq and ran out as the blast took place, people on the scene said. They were unhurt other than for a small arm injury suffered by one of them. 

The incident happened at about 11 a.m.

According to preliminary reports, the explosion took place in a small room where firework ingredients are mixed. The blast blew off the roof and part of the walls, sending debris over a wide area. Other sections of the complex were not damaged.

Policemen and rescuers from the Civil Protection Department and the AFM are on the scene along with a small crowd of enthusiasts.

The incident is the first since a number of fatal incidents in 2010, which was followed by a detailed report, commissioned by the Ministry of Home Affairs, on the manufacture of fireworks. In May last year, a man suffered burns in an incident at St Sebastian Fireworks Factory in Qormi.