Fireworks were set off by the blast at the rural Lourdes Fireworks Factory in Salina, damaging buildings and cars in the surrounding area.
The factory blew up at 6.30am on Monday, but fireworks continued to go off for hours after the initial explosion.
A plume of smoke rises following an explosion from the Ta' Lourdes fireworks factory in Naxxar. Two farmers and a food courier were injured and taken to hospital, while four cows were killed, The Times of Malta reported.
Neighbours fled their homes to avoid falling debris and boulders as well as damaged electricity cables. Windows at a nearby hotel were blown in, with guests hit by shattered glass, while stones littered the roads.
The Maltese armed forces and the civil protection department (CPD) attended the scene and used drones to inspect the damage.
Nearby farms and animal sanctuaries received assistance from officers from the government’s animal welfare department and the MaYA Foundation, which aids farmers.
The foundation reported “significant damage” to farms, and called for support from the authorities.CPD officers will reportedly continue searching for unexploded fireworks on Tuesday morning because of the risk posed by the effects of daytime heat on the explosive devices.
The factory in Triq il-Qadi previously suffered an explosion in 2018, in which two men were seriously injured.Police are investigating the incident, but the trigger of the explosion has not been identified.