At least 13 people, including Indian and Pakistani nationals, were killed and 66 others injured after a massive explosion and fire at Qatar’s Ras Laffan Industrial City, the country’s Energy Minister Saad bin Sherida Al-Kaabi confirmed on Monday.
Al-Kaabi, who also serves as chief executive of QatarEnergy, described the incident as a tragic loss of life while addressing a press conference.
“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,” he said.
The explosion occurred on Sunday evening at the Barzan local gas supply facility during the restart of operations at the site.
Authorities said 66 people were injured, though none were in life-threatening condition.
“Sixty-six people have been reported injured and are receiving medical treatment, none of whom are in life-threatening condition,” Al-Kaabi said.
He said that the 66 injured — none of whom are in life-threatening condition — hold Qatari, Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Kenyan, Iranian, Tanzanian, Nigerian and Nepali nationalities.
QatarEnergy said the blast and subsequent fire broke out during the start-up of operations at Ras Laffan Industrial City.
Emergency response teams were deployed and the fire was later brought under control.
The minister did not specify how many of those killed were Indian nationals.
Authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the explosion, which Al-Kaabi stressed was an accident and not the result of sabotage or hostile action.
“This was an accident and not sabotage or hostile in nature,” he said, adding that there was no environmental risk and that Qatar’s gas exports would not be affected.
“This will not affect in any way our exports to the world,” he added.
The Barzan facility plays a critical role in Qatar’s domestic energy supply, with the capacity to provide around 1.4 billion standard cubic feet of sales gas per day for electricity generation, water desalination plants and local industries.
It also produces ethane, condensate, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and sulphur for domestic use and export.
Ras Laffan, home to the world’s largest liquefied natural gas export facility and the largest artificial harbour globally, was previously damaged during the US-Iran conflict after Iranian strikes targeted Gulf energy infrastructure.
Qatar halted LNG production in March following attacks on key facilities. At the time, officials warned that damage to infrastructure could reduce LNG export capacity and require years of repairs.
Qatar is one of the world’s leading LNG producers alongside the US, Australia and Russia.
The explosion rattled windows and was reportedly felt across central Doha, more than 70km from the industrial complex.
Al-Kaabi said it was too early to determine when operations at the facility would resume. He noted that production at the plant had been halted since December 2025 for urgent maintenance and had only restarted two days before the explosion.
The Indian Embassy in Doha said it was in contact with Qatari authorities and would provide all possible assistance to affected families.
“We convey our deepest condolences to the families of those who have unfortunately passed away in the sad incident at Ras Laffan Industrial City last night,” the embassy said in a statement posted on X.
