Qatar Gas Plant Explosion: 13 Killed, 66 Injured in "Technical Accident"
"A technical accident" — Qatar Interior Ministry
Ras Laffan, Qatar — A deadly explosion ripped through Qatar's largest gas facility in the Ras Laffan industrial zone on Sunday night, killing 13 people and injuring 66 others. The blast occurred at the Barzan local gas supply facility, as workers were restarting operations following a scheduled maintenance shutdown.
Qatar's Energy Minister Saad Sherida al-Kaabi confirmed the incident was not an act of sabotage or hostile attack. He also assured that the country's gas exports would not be affected.
What Happened?
The Barzan facility had been offline for urgent maintenance since December 2025. Production restarted just two days before the blast. As workers resumed operations, an explosion occurred, prompting an immediate emergency response.
- Casualties: Among the dead were workers from India and Pakistan. The Indian embassy has expressed condolences and offered consular assistance.
- Response: Emergency teams quickly contained the resulting fire. No environmental risks were reported following the incident.
Broader Context
The Ras Laffan Port is not only the world's largest artificial harbor but also hosts the world's largest LNG export facility. This critical site has faced significant disruption in the recent past.
Previous damage from the US-Israel war with Iran had already reduced the facility’s LNG output by 12.8 million tons for a period of three to five years.
During that conflict, Qatar had halted overall production—temporarily pausing a fifth of the global LNG supply. Shipments had only recently resumed before this latest, unrelated incident.