Qatar Gas Plant Blast Kills 13 Including Indians, Injures 66
At least 13 people, including Indian nationals, were killed and 66 others injured after an explosion at Qatar's Ras Laffan liquefied natural gas complex on Sunday, according to the country's energy minister.
Qatar's Energy Minister Saad al-Kaabi confirmed the casualties on Monday, stating that the deceased held Indian and Pakistani nationalities. He did not specify the exact number of Indians killed. The injured are receiving medical treatment, with none in life-threatening condition.
The blast occurred as workers were restarting operations at the Barzan local gas supply facility, following a halt caused by an Iranian attack in March. The explosion was described as a 'technical accident' by authorities, with al-Kaabi emphasizing that it was not sabotage or hostile in nature.
QatarEnergy assured that export capabilities were unaffected, and there was no environmental risk. An investigation into the incident has been launched. The exact location and extent of damage within the plant were not disclosed.
The Barzan plant had a capacity of nearly 1.4 billion standard cubic feet of sales gas per day, primarily used for local electricity generation and water desalination. The Ras Laffan complex had previously been hit by an Iranian missile in March, causing a fire and extensive damage.
