At least 54 people were injured while 18 others remain missing following an explosion at a major gas processing facility in Qatar on Sunday.
The incident occurred at the Barzan local gas supply facility within Ras Laffan Industrial City, one of the country’s key liquefied natural gas (LNG) processing hubs.
QatarEnergy said the explosion and subsequent fire broke out during the start-up phase of operations at the facility on Sunday evening.
Emergency response teams were immediately deployed to the scene and successfully brought the fire under control, according to the company.
In a separate statement, Qatar’s Interior Ministry confirmed that 54 people had sustained injuries in the incident, while search efforts were ongoing to locate 18 individuals who remain unaccounted for.
Authorities described the explosion as a “technical accident” and stressed that there was no gas leak or other threat to public safety following the incident.
The ministry said the Qatari International Search and Rescue Group, working alongside civil defence personnel, had launched extensive search operations for the missing individuals.
So far, QatarEnergy has not disclosed whether the explosion caused significant damage to the facility, which plays an important role in supplying natural gas to the domestic market.
The blast was reportedly powerful enough to be heard in Doha, with a Reuters witness stating that a loud boom echoed across the Qatari capital, located south of the Ras Laffan industrial complex.
Investigations into the cause of the explosion are ongoing.
