An explosion occurred at Ras Laffan Industrial City, Qatar’s main LNG processing site, injuring at least 54 people and leaving 18 others missing, according to authorities. The blast took place at the Barzan local gas supply facility, which provides gas to the domestic market.

QatarEnergy stated that the incident happened during the start-up of operations at Ras Laffan Industrial City on Sunday evening. The explosion and fire at the Barzan facility prompted the deployment of emergency response teams, who later brought the fire under control. The Interior Ministry described the blast as a ‘technical accident’ and confirmed there was no leak posing a threat to public safety.

The Interior Ministry said 54 people were injured and 18 remained missing. Search operations for the missing individuals were underway, led by the Qatari International Search and Rescue Group in cooperation with civil defence teams. An earlier statement from the ministry referred to the event as an internal explosion caused by a technical incident, with civil defence teams managing the situation. A later update mentioned a ‘technical malfunction’ causing injuries but did not specify their extent.

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QatarEnergy did not comment on any damage to the plant. Witnesses reported hearing a loud boom in Doha, south of Ras Laffan, and seeing flames and smoke rising from the industrial zone, which houses the world’s largest liquefied natural gas facilities.

The explosion follows recent disruptions at Ras Laffan linked to regional conflicts involving the US, Israel, and Iran. Iranian attacks on energy infrastructure in the Gulf, including facilities connected to Ras Laffan, have caused temporary shutdowns in Qatar’s gas production. Qatar, a leading LNG exporter alongside the United States, Australia, and Russia, halted LNG production on March 2 after Iranian drone strikes hit key facilities. Further damage reported on March 18 was expected to reduce LNG export capacity by about 17 per cent, with full repairs projected to take three to five years, according to Energy Minister Saad Al-Kaabi.

Authorities continue search operations for the 18 missing people following the explosion and fire at the Barzan facility. Officials maintain that the blast resulted from an internal technical issue and that there is no public safety threat from any leak.

Published on: Jun 22, 2026 9:04 AM IST