The man who lost his life in a fire at a Ħamrun shop earlier today has been identified as the shop owner, Maged Saad Malak Eshak.

The 23-year-old owner of Middel East Market shop was a beloved member of his community and the news of his death shocked those who knew him.

“Condolences to Maged’s family. Such a sad ending, so unfortunate. May he rest in peace. An example of an honest, hard worker who had managed to integrate well in our community,” one online comment read in reaction to the news.

It was also reported that Eshak was expected to get married in a few week’s time and was excited for the opportunity to return home to Egypt now that Malta’s airports had reopened.

“The last thing he told me was ‘You won’t see me for a while, but the next time you do I will be a married man’,” a frequent visitor to the shop told Times of Malta.

Those who took the time to pay tribute to the late shop keeper offered their condolences to his family who allegedly lost another son in a similar circumstance.

“It’s such an unspeakable tragedy. I cannot imagine what his poor mother and father must be going through,” a neighbour said.

The cause of the fire is still unknown but there have been reports that Eshak had been sleeping in the shop when it broke out.

Lovin Malta reached out to the police for further information.

Photo credit: Times of Malta

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