Explosion at Qatar's Ras Laffan Gas Facility Claims 13 Lives
An explosion and subsequent fire at a gas facility in Qatar's Ras Laffan Industrial City have left at least 13 people dead and 66 others injured, according to Qatar's Energy Minister, Saad bin Shreida Al-Kaabi, as reported by Gulf News. Al-Kaabi, who also serves as the CEO of QatarEnergy, stated that the incident occurred on Sunday evening at the Barzan local gas supply facility.
Victims Include Indian and Pakistani Nationals
During a press briefing, Al-Kaabi confirmed that those who lost their lives were of Indian and Pakistani origin, although the precise number of Indian fatalities remained unconfirmed at the time. The Embassy of India in Doha stated that it is in constant touch with Qatari authorities and has committed to providing all possible assistance to the families of the victims and those wounded.
"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 post on X. The mission has publicised helpline numbers +974-55647502 and +975-55384683, alongside the email address cons.doha@mea.gov.in.
Embassy Response and Emergency Measures
Prior to this, the embassy had expressed "deep concern at the unfortunate incident," reporting that several individuals had sustained injuries and others were unaccounted for. "At this challenging and difficult time, the Embassy of India and the entire Indian community in Qatar stands in solidarity with the Government and people of Qatar. We wish for the speedy recovery of those injured and hope and pray for the safety of those missing," it said.
Fire Contained at Barzan Gas Supply Facility
QatarEnergy previously indicated that the blast and fire ignited during the start-up of operations at the Barzan local gas supply facility on Sunday evening. The company confirmed that emergency response teams were deployed immediately to contain the fire, which is now under control.
