DOHA: An explosion and fire at a major gas facility in Qatar’s Ras Laffan Industrial City injured at least 54 people and left 18 missing, authorities said on Monday.
Officials said the accident occurred at the Barzan gas supply facility during the start-up of operations. A technical malfunction triggered the incident.
State-owned QatarEnergy said emergency response teams rushed to the site and quickly brought the fire under control.
Qatar’s Interior Ministry confirmed that 54 people suffered injuries. Rescue teams continue to search for 18 missing workers.
The ministry said the incident resulted from a technical accident and did not cause any gas leak that could threaten public safety.
The Qatar International Search and Rescue Group, supported by Civil Defense personnel, is leading efforts to locate the missing individuals.
Authorities initially described the incident as an internal explosion. They later clarified that a technical failure caused the accident.
In a statement posted on social media platform X, the Interior Ministry said the accident occurred at a factory within Ras Laffan Industrial City and that rescue operations remain underway.
QatarEnergy did not disclose the extent of damage to the facility. The Barzan plant plays a critical role in supplying natural gas for domestic consumption.
Earlier, a Reuters witness reported hearing a loud blast in Doha, south of the Ras Laffan energy complex.
The incident comes after previous damage to Qatar’s energy infrastructure during the conflict between the United States and Iran. Iranian strikes targeted energy facilities across the Gulf, forcing Qatar to temporarily halt gas production.
Qatar, one of the world’s largest exporters of liquefied natural gas, suspended LNG production on March 2 following Iranian drone attacks that damaged key energy installations.
Additional attacks on March 18 raised concerns that the country’s export capacity could fall by nearly 17%.
At the time, Energy Minister Saad Al-Kaabi said full restoration of the affected facilities could take between three and five years.
Qatar remains a key player in the global LNG market alongside the United States, Australia and Russia. The latest accident has renewed concerns about the resilience of the country’s energy sector and regional energy security.
