Parrot dies, birds killed in Malta fireworks factory blast

Ricky had lived for 57 years at BirdPark Malta, but a fireworks factory blast only about 600 to 650 metres away killed him and several other birds in seconds. The explosion hit the Salina and Magħtab area on Monday morning, June 1, 2026, turning the sanctuary into a panic zone as birds scattered, struck barriers and were thrown into chaos.

The blast tore through the Ta’ Lourdes fireworks factory and registered as a 1.9-magnitude seismic event, with the force felt across large parts of Malta. Two men were hospitalized with minor injuries, and no workers were on site when the factory exploded. At BirdPark Malta, Kevin Mallia said some birds appeared to have died from shock while others suffered trauma. A pink flamingo fatally hit glass while trying to flee the noise, and an owl and hatchlings or baby birds were also reported dead.

The losses point to a hard lesson for parrot owners, rescues and sanctuaries living near pyrotechnics sites: distance is not protection when the blast wave reaches the aviary. Flight response, glass impacts and sudden shock can be as deadly as flames or debris, especially for parrots and waterbirds that panic fast and fly hard when startled. Facilities with birds near fireworks operations need evacuation planning that accounts for noise, vibration and broken enclosures, plus fast decisions on where to move birds if a facility perimeter is compromised.

The damage did not stop at the sanctuary. Separate reporting said rabbits and dairy cows also died, nearby farms suffered structural damage, and more than 40 properties were affected. Momentum called for stronger fireworks enforcement and urgent chemical analysis of the area, including testing for perchlorate, copper, barium, antimony, aluminium and strontium, while Maltese MEPs pushed back against calls for an EU intervention on fireworks manufacturing. The blast has widened concern over contamination, factory safety and how exposed animals remain around pyrotechnics sites.

For BirdPark Malta, the dead birds included Ricky, a flamingo, an owl and other hatchlings, a grim reminder that a single explosion can turn a sanctuary into a triage scene. For everyone keeping parrots near risk zones, the message is just as stark: when the noise hits, the birds may bolt before anyone has time to think.