The Civil Protection Department even called on resources from its base in Gozo to deal with the massive fire which destroyed part of a recycling facility in Ħal Far on Friday morning.

The fire broke out shortly before 6am.  

Civil Protection personnel responded initially from Ħal Far Fire Station, but upon an assessment of the extent of the fire, additional resources and units were called in from the remaining fire stations including Gozo, the department said.

The premises contained a big volume of wood, plastics, paper, cardboard and other combustible material.

The main building was destroyed but the firefighters stopped the flames from spreading to other recycled combustible material outside.  

Seven fire-vehicles were deployed, using 240,000 litres of water and 10,000 litres of foam. 

The Civil Protection Department  thanked various entities for their assistance, including the police, the AFM for its heavy plant machinery, the health department, the airport fire section for sending a fire engine and crew, St. John Rescue Corps for providing a fire engine and volunteers, the Environment Landscape Consortium for providing eight water carriers, the Directorate for Parks, Afforestation and Countryside Restoration for providing a heavy water carrier, Playmobil Malta for providing water from its reservoirs, private water contractors for providing water carriers and the Works Department for providing a fuel carrier for replenishment of fire engines on site.

Photos by Civil Protection Department D.D. Peter Paul Coleiro.