DOHA: A gas plant explosion in Qatar has killed 13 workers of Indian and Pakistani nationalities and injured 66 others, the Gulf state’s energy minister said on Monday, while assuring global markets that gas exports would continue uninterrupted.
“I find myself today having to do something I have always hoped will never happen, and that is to announce the tragic loss of 13 lives of our people who hold Indian and Pakistani nationalities,” Energy Minister Saad al-Kaabi told reporters.
“Sixty-six people have been reported injured and are receiving medical treatment, none of whom are in life-threatening condition,” he added.
The minister said that the deadly gas plant explosion was the result of an accident and that it would not affect the country’s exports.
“This will not affect in any way our exports to the world,” Saad al-Kaabi told reporters, adding that “this was an accident and not sabotage or hostile in nature”
The explosion and subsequent fire struck a gas processing facility in Qatar’s Ras Laffan Industrial City at the weekend, according to Qatari authorities and state-owned energy giant QatarEnergy.
Ministry of Interior Statement Regarding the Incident that Occurred at a Factory in Ras Laffan Industrial City Due to a Technical Malfunction During Operations.#MOIQatar pic.twitter.com/gLrEByhYH3
— Ministry of Interior – Qatar (@MOI_QatarEn) June 22, 2026
The incident occurred during the start-up phase of operations at the Barzan gas supply facility, part of the country’s key energy infrastructure.
Qatar Energy said emergency response teams were immediately dispatched and succeeded in bringing the fire under control.
Qatar’s Interior Ministry described the incident as a “technical accident” caused by an internal malfunction and stressed that no gas leak had occurred that could endanger public safety.
Earlier, in a statement posted on X, the ministry said 54 people had sustained injuries, while search operations were underway to locate 18 individuals reported missing.
The Qatari International Search and Rescue Group, working alongside civil defence teams, was leading the effort.
The total number of injured persons in the incident that occurred at a factory in Ras Laffan Industrial City has reached (54). The Qatar International Search and Rescue Group of the Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya), in cooperation with Civil Defence teams, is conducting search…
— Ministry of Interior – Qatar (@MOI_QatarEn) June 22, 2026
Authorities later clarified that a technical malfunction had triggered the internal explosion. No further details were provided regarding the condition of the injured or the identities of those missing.
Residents in the capital, Doha, reported hearing a powerful boom originating from the direction of Ras Laffan Industrial City, located north of the city.
The latest incident comes months after Qatar’s energy infrastructure suffered significant disruption during the conflict between the United States and Iran. Iranian strikes targeting Gulf energy facilities had previously forced Qatar to suspend liquefied natural gas production in March.
Qatar is one of the world’s leading producers and exporters of liquefied natural gas, alongside the United States, Australia and Russia.
