No one was injured when fireworks being let off by remote control from a barge off Sliema exploded in quick succession this evening.

The barge was anchored off Independence Gardens for the letting off of fireworks for the feast of San Girgor.

The incident happened at around 7.30 p.m. as a salute was being fired.

There had been initial fears for a foreign man who was seen jumping into the sea to render assistance, but he was found safe and pulled on board an AFM rescue launch.

AFM explosives experts were deployed to render the barge safe.

Coincidentally, the explosion occurred on the eve of a tragedy, 25 years ago, when five soldiers and two policemen died when fireworks which were being carried on board a patrol boat exploded shortly before they were to be dumped at sea in the Gozo-Comino Channel.

See footage by Peter Grima at

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wwwpgflickrcom/

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