Early in the morning of July 1806, the Artillery Company entered the Polverista at St Laurence Creek to take powder and bombs. Among them there was a corporal smoking his pipe.  

Meanwhile there was a great explosion and 149 persons lost their lives. A passer-by milkman and his goats lost their lives as well. (May be that explains the difference in number - the goats were counted).

It is said that the cause of this tragedy was Ball and General Villettes because they never listened to the reports and laments, especially by the Lieutenant of Cospicua Giovanni Castagna and the businessman Francis Marmara', whose residence was close to the Polverista. Afterwards that place was called Ta' l-Imgarraf. (Castagna P.P., Storja ta' Malta, 1890, Vol.II).

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