Indians, Pakistanis among 13 dead in Qatar LNG plant blast
UAE expresses solidarity as investigation into technical malfunction continues
DOHA/ABU DHABI – Thirteen workers have been killed and 66 others injured after an explosion and fire struck the Barzan Liquefied Natural Gas Plant in Qatar’s Ras Laffan Industrial City on Sunday night.
Authorities confirmed that the victims include Indians and Pakistanis among the multinational workforce at the facility.
Saad bin Sherida Al Kaabi, Minister of State for Energy Affairs of the State of Qatar, said the incident was accidental and not linked to sabotage or any hostile act. He added that all injured individuals are receiving medical treatment and none are in life-threatening condition.
Qatar LNG plant blast
The powerful explosion erupted during start-up operations at a gas supply unit within Ras Laffan Industrial City, sending flames and smoke into the night sky. Qatar’s Interior Ministry initially described it as a technical incident, later attributing it to a malfunction during operational procedures.
Emergency response teams were deployed immediately and brought the fire under control after rapid action.
Supply assured
Despite the scale of the blast, QatarEnergy stated that LNG exports and domestic supply operations remain unaffected. The company confirmed that production, logistics, and port activities at Ras Laffan continued normally, with no disruption to contractual deliveries.
Authorities also stressed that there was no environmental risk or hazardous material leakage following the fire.
The Barzan facility, which supplies gas for power generation and desalination, has a production capacity of around 1.4 billion standard cubic feet of sales gas per day.
Probe ongoing
An official investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of the explosion at the Ras Laffan Industrial City facility. Saad Al Kaabi reiterated that early assessments indicate an accident rather than sabotage or hostile activity. QatarEnergy confirmed technical evaluations are continuing at the Barzan site as authorities review operational data.
UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed solidarity with Qatar, offering condolences and wishing a speedy recovery for the injured. Officials also noted that the incident is separate from wider regional geopolitical tensions affecting energy infrastructure.