Critically injured Mqabba resident dies, 12 days after gas explosion

The 71-year-old man who was critically injured by an explosion at his Mqabba home earlier this month has succumbed to his injuries, police say.

The man and his 77-year-old wife had been hospitalised after the 4am blast, thought to have been caused by a gas leak, rocked the couple's home in Triq it-Troll on 10 August.

Emergency services had rushed the elderly victims to hospital, where the man was found to be in a critical condition. Fortunately, his wife only suffered minor injuries in the explosion.

Sadly, however, in a statement issued this morning, the police announced that the 71-year-old man lost his 12-day battle for survival.

A magisterial inquiry and a police investigation into the blast are underway.