Qatar Ras Laffan blast kills 12 Indians at Barzan gas facility

A blast and fire at Qatar's Barzan gas facility in Ras Laffan killed 13 people, including 12 Indians. The tragedy has triggered an investigation as India coordinates support for victims' families.

In Short

• Sixty-six people were injured, with all hospitalised victims reported stable
• Qatar linked the accident to a technical malfunction during operations
• Indian Embassy is assisting families and expediting repatriation of mortal remains

Twelve Indians were among 13 people killed in an explosion at a gas facility in Qatar's Ras Laffan Industrial City, officials said on Monday. The blast took place at the Barzan local gas supply facility, operated by QatarEnergy LNG, and left 66 people injured, including Indians.

The Indian Embassy in Doha said on X: "Qatari authorities have confirmed that 12 Indian nationals have unfortunately passed away in the Ras Laffan incident yesterday night." It added that, according to Qatari authorities, all those injured are in stable condition and are receiving appropriate medical treatment.

The embassy said it was in touch with the Qatari authorities to help affected Indian nationals and their families, including arrangements to send the bodies of those killed to India at the earliest. Earlier, it had expressed "deep concern at the unfortunate incident", in which several people were injured and some were missing. "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.

Earlier on Monday, Qatar's Energy Minister Saad bin Shreida Al-Kaabi told a press briefing that 13 people of Indian and Pakistani origins had died in the incident. Officials said those injured include people of Qatari, Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Kenyan, Ghanaian, Tanzanian, Nigerian and Nepalese nationalities.

In a separate statement, Qatar's Ministry of Interior said the incident was caused by a "technical malfunction" during operations. It said security authorities responded immediately with emergency teams in Ras Laffan and followed approved emergency procedures at the site. The injured were moved to medical facilities, while search and response operations at the scene have been completed. The ministry said investigations are continuing to determine the exact technical causes and all circumstances surrounding the accident. It also said no leaks were detected after the accident and there was no threat to public safety or the surrounding environment.

QatarEnergy said the incident took place during the start-up of operations on Sunday evening, causing an explosion and fire at the Barzan local gas supply facility. It said the emergency response team and Qatar's Civil Defence swiftly and fully put out the fire, and damage to Barzan and nearby facilities is being assessed. QatarEnergy added that its LNG facilities, Ras Laffan Port, other logistics operations and export capabilities remain unaffected. It also said Barzan production had been fully stopped since December 2025 for urgent maintenance and had restarted two days before the incident. In sum, the explosion killed 13 people, including 12 Indians, injured 66 others, and has led to a formal investigation in Qatar.

With PTI Inputs

- Ends