Eight people were injured, four of them seriously, in a traffic accident last night, as the driver of one of the cars fled the scene. 

The accident happened in Triq Dun Gaetano Mannarino, Birkirkara at 12.45am when a minibus and a Volkswagen Polo collided, forcing the minibus to crash into a showroom wall.

Sources said the minibus was coming from the direction of Valley Road while the Polo was being driven from the St Venera side. They collided at the intersection near the Middlesea offices. 

The Polo driver fled the scene following the accident and has not yet been identified, the police said.

The minibus was being driven by a 56-year-old man from San Gwann. He was slightly injured. Seven passengers were also injured, four of them grievously. No one is in a critical condition.

The seven passengers included a 37-year-old Albanian woman who lives in Swieqi, a 59-year-old man from Mosta, a 33-year-old Ethiopian man from Birkirkara, a 29-year-old Bulgarian man and a 29-year-old Hungarian man from St Paul’s Bay and a 20-year-old man from the Philippines who lives in Lija.

An inquiry is being held.

In another accident, a 51-year-old woman from Marsaxlokk was hit by a car driven by a 30-year-old man from Marsascala while crossing the road at Triq Kordin in Paola at 5.40am. Police are directing traffic.

A motorcyclist also suffered minor injuries at the Addolorata Hill in Marsa after the motorbike he was riding skidded.

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