Qatar gas explosion: 54 hurt, 18 missing after ‘technical incident’ at Ras Laffan site

DOHA, June 22 — Fifty-four people were injured and another 18 were missing after an explosion at Qatar’s core ​LNG processing site of Ras Laffan on Sunday, authorities said.

An incident during the start-up of operations at Ras Laffan Industrial City resulted in an explosion and fire at the Barzan local gas ‌supply facility on Sunday evening, QatarEnergy said in a ⁠statement.

Emergency response teams ⁠were deployed to contain the fire, which ⁠was now under control, ⁠it said. Qatar’s ⁠Interior Ministry said in a statement that 54 people had been injured and 18 were missing and ⁠being searched for.

It attributed the explosion to a “technical accident” and said there was no leak that posed a threat to public safety. It said the Qatari International Search and Rescue Group, in cooperation with the civil ⁠defence teams, was conducting search operations for the 18 missing people.

QatarEnergy did not indicate whether the ⁠explosion had caused any damage to the plant, which supplies gas ⁠to ⁠the domestic market.

A Reuters witness earlier reported that a loud ​boom was heard in the ​capital Doha, south of the ‌Ras Laffan facility. — Reuters