The blast occurred during efforts to restart operations at the Barzan gas facility
At least 13 people, including Indian nationals, were killed and 66 others injured after a powerful explosion tore through Qatar’s Ras Laffan liquefied natural gas (LNG) complex on Sunday, authorities said.
The blast occurred at the Barzan gas supply facility within Ras Laffan Industrial City while workers were attempting to resume operations at the strategic energy installation following months of disruption linked to regional tensions.
Confirming the casualties, Qatar’s Energy Minister Saad al-Kaabi described the incident as a tragedy and said the victims included workers from India and Pakistan.
“I find myself today having to do something I have always hoped would never happen, and that is to announce the tragic loss of 13 lives of our people who hold Indian and Pakistani nationalities,” al-Kaabi told reporters on Monday.
He added that 66 people sustained injuries in the explosion and subsequent fire.
Breaking: Indians are among the 15 dead and 66 reported injured in massive explosion at an LNG facility in Qatar, says the country’s energy minister pic.twitter.com/Yumq7Cfkml
— Shashank Mattoo (@MattooShashank) June 22, 2026
Indian Embassy activates emergency helplines
Following the incident, the Indian Embassy in Doha expressed concern and announced emergency assistance measures for Indian citizens and their families.
In a statement, the embassy said it stood in solidarity with the Government and people of Qatar and was closely monitoring developments.
“Embassy of India, Doha expresses deep concern at the unfortunate incident that occurred at the Ras Laffan Industrial City yesterday, in which several people got injured and some are missing as per authorities,” the mission said.
The embassy also extended condolences to the affected families and urged Indian nationals seeking assistance to contact its emergency helpline numbers.
Officials said the mission remains in touch with Qatari authorities and is providing support to affected Indian citizens.
Explosion during restart operations
According to QatarEnergy, the explosion occurred during efforts to restart the Barzan facility, which had remained partially shut following damage and disruptions caused by regional hostilities earlier this year.
Initial reports suggested a limited number of injuries, but updated figures released by Qatar’s Interior Ministry later revealed a significantly higher casualty toll.
Emergency services responded swiftly to contain the fire and evacuate workers from the site.
Authorities are continuing to assess structural damage while investigators work to determine the exact cause of the explosion.
The explosion has drawn international attention because of Qatar’s position as one of the world’s largest exporters of liquefied natural gas.
Ras Laffan serves as the backbone of the country’s LNG industry, and any prolonged disruption could affect global energy markets already facing uncertainty due to geopolitical tensions.
Qatar’s energy dominance is largely built on its vast offshore natural gas reserves, which form part of one of the world’s largest gas fields shared with neighbouring Iran.
Authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the explosion while efforts continue to identify all those impacted and provide support to the families of those killed and injured in the tragedy
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