Qatar LNG plant explosion: 54 injured, 18 missing after blast at Ras Laffan facility
Qatar LNG plant explosion: A major explosion at Qatar's Ras Laffan Industrial City left at least 54 persons injured, while 18 others remain missing, according to the country's Interior Ministry.
The incident took place on Sunday at a facility inside the Ras Laffan industrial complex, one of the world's most important natural gas processing hubs. Officials said the blast was caused by a technical malfunction that triggered an internal explosion, followed by a fire.
QatarEnergy confirmed that the explosion and fire occurred at the Barzan gas supply facility during the restart of operations. Emergency response teams were immediately sent to the site and managed to bring the fire under control.
Authorities initially reported only a small number of injuries. However, several hours later, the Interior Ministry updated the figures, confirming that 54 people had been hurt. Search operations are continuing to locate 18 people who are still unaccounted for.
The full extent of the damage is not yet known, and investigations are underway to determine what exactly caused the explosion.
The incident comes at a sensitive time for Qatar's energy sector. The country has been working to restore production at Ras Laffan after previous disruptions affected gas exports and energy supplies.
Ras Laffan is considered the world's largest liquefied natural gas export facility and plays a key role in supplying energy to countries across the globe. Any disruption at the complex could have an impact on international energy markets, which are already facing supply concerns.
Qatari authorities have assured that emergency teams remain on site and efforts are focused on ensuring safety, locating the missing workers and assessing damage to the facility.
- With inputs from agencies
