A Maltese family driving through Naxxar a few weeks ago came dangerously close to going up in flames after what they claim to be a stray petard landed and exploded mere metres away from the road.

A dash-cam video sent to Lovin Malta shows the near escape the family – and a nearby bystander – made when an explosion occurs on the pavement nearby, momentarily lighting up a nearby tree. After the explosion surprises everyone in the car, the family pull over to recover from the shock.

“It could have fallen on our car,” said the driver to Lovin Malta. “It missed us only by a few inches.”

The explosion occurred on Sunday the 5th of August, which is during Lija’s Festa tas-Salvatur. While there is no evidence for it, the family suggest there is a good chance the petard could have been part of the Lija festa before going rogue and landing in neighbouring Naxxar.

However, many people commenting on the video said the explosion may have been lightning, and the Malta International Airport have confirmed with Lovin Malta that lightning and thunder were recorded around Malta that day.

This incident occurred in the some month a stray petard during a festa caused extensive damage to Malta’s largest sinkhole Il-Maqluba.

What do you think of this explosion?

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Johnathan Cilia

Johnathan is an award-winning Maltese journalist interested in social justice, politics, minority issues, music and food. Follow him at @supreofficialmt on Instagram, and send him news, food and music stories at [email protected]